Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
We have used time-resolved x-ray diffraction measurements of thermal expansion induced strain to measure overheating and undercooling in <100> and <111> oriented silicon during pulsed laser melting and regrowth. 249 nm (KrF) excimer laser pulses of 1.2 J/cm2 energy density and 25 ns FWHM were synchronized with x-ray pulses from the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) to carry out Bragg profile measurements with ±2 ns time resolution. Combined overheating and undercooling values of 120 ± 30 K and 45 ± 20 K were found for the <111> and <100> orientations, respectively, and these values have been used to obtain information on the limiting regrowth velocities for silicon.
Research sponsored by the Division of Materials Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-840R21400 with Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.