Nanosecond time-resolved reflectivity determination of the melting of metals upon pulsed laser annealing

Thin metal films (Cu, Au, Ni) on quartz glass were illuminated with nanosec ond pulses of a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser (lambda = 532 nm). The trans ient reflectivity behaviour was probed at the wavelength 633 nm, where thes e metals exhibit Drude-like optical behaviour: the reflectivity decreases w ith temperature in the solid and in the liquid state as well as at the soli d-liquid phase transition. It is shown that nanosecond time-resolved reflec tivity measurements can be used to determine the melting of these metal sur faces due to the reflectivity difference between the solid and the liquid p hase. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.