Incorporation of Oxygen into Silicon during Pulsed-Laser Irradiation

Abstract

Evidence for the oxygen incorporation into silicon during surface melting by the pulsed-laser irradiation is presented. SIMS measurement of ¹⁸O in Si samples which were laser-irradiated in ¹⁸O₂ atmosphere shows that ¹⁸O is introduced in Si with the maximum concentration 7×10²⁰ cm^-3 and the penetration depth 1.4 µm. The incorporation of ¹⁸O is blocked when the Si surface is covered with SiO₂.