Use of argon laser radiation in restoration of single-crystal state of ion-implantation-amorphized silicon surface

High-power (up to 500 W) radiation of a cw argon laser was used to restore the single-crystal state of a silicon surface made amorphous by ion implantation. The experiments were carried out in air and the power density of the laser radiation was 100 W/cm². The duration of illumination did not exceed several seconds. The experiments were carried out on single-crystal silicon plates doped by implantation of arsenic ions at room temperature (ion energy 100 keV, dose 1800 мC/cm²). Surface melting was observed after several seconds under "soft" laser heating conditions. Reflection electron micrographs indicated that laser radiation restored the single-crystal structure of an ion-implanted amorphous layer of silicon even when the illumination was brief (3 sec). Complete recovery was achieved after melting the surface.