Time-Resolved Ellipsometry and Reflectivity Measurements of the Optical Properties of Silicon During Pulsed Excimer Laser Irradiation

摘要

Several advances in time-resolved optical measurement techniques have been made, which allow a more detailed determination of the optical properties of silicon immediately before, during, and after pulsed laser irradiation. It is now possible to follow in detail the time-resolved reflectivity signal near the melting threshold; measurements indicate that melting occurs in a spatially inhomogeneous way. The use of time-resolved ellipsometry allowed us to accurately measure the optical properties of the high reflectivity (molten) phase, and of the hot, solid silicon before and after the laser pulse. We obtain n = 3.8, k = 5.2 (+-0.1) at lambda = 632.8 nm for the high reflectivity phase, in minor disagreement with the published values of Shvarev, et al. for liquid silicon. Before and after the high reflectivity phase, the time-resolved ellipsometry measurements are entirely consistent with the known optical properties of crystalline silicon at temperatures up to its melting point. (ERA citation 10:010133)