LASER-INDUCED MELTING AND DEFECT FORMATION IN CADMIUM TELLURIDE

The modification of structural, electrical and recombinational propert ies of CdTe under nanosecond ruby laser pulse action has been investig ated using second-harmonic generation, photoreflectance, and photolumi nescence techniques. The pulse energy density, W-m, necessary for a me lting of CdTe surface was found to be equal to 40 +/- 5 mJ/cm(2). Lase r-induced defect formation after the irradiation at W greater than or equal to W-m was registered. In addition to defect creation, a competi ng process of defect annihilation was observed in the narrow interval of W just above the melting threshold.