IGNITION AND PROPAGATION OF THE AMORPHIZATION WAVE IN SEMICONDUCTORS UNDER CONDITIONS OF INTENSE GENERATION OF ELECTRON-HOLE PAIRS BY SHORTLASER-PULSES

Using a close analogy with a combustion wave, we develop a model of a point-defect-generation wave (DGW) and an amorphization wave (AW) that jointly propagate in semiconductors under conditions of intense laser -induced formation of electron-hole pairs. We determine such DGW and A W characteristics as the critical ignition intensity, the shape, the v elocity of propagation, and the concentration of defects generated in the DGW. Predictions of the developed theory are quantitatively compar ed with the results of experiments on multipulse damage of a silicon s urface. A satisfactory agreement between the theoretical predictions a nd the experimental data is achieved.