FAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC, MAGNETOTRANSPORT, AND X-RAY STUDY OF ATHERMAL ANNEALING IN NEUTRON-TRANSMUTATION-DOPED SILICON

We present evidence that the energy introduced by a short laser pulse focused to high intensity on a small spot on the surface of neutron-tr ansmutation-doped silicon electrically activates impurities far away f rom the focal spot. The activation of the impurities is measured by fa r-infrared spectroscopy of shallow donor levels and by magnetotranspor t characterization. Electrical activity is comparable to that obtained with conventional thermal annealing. X-ray rocking curve measurements show strain in the area of the focal spot, but none at large distance s from the focal spot. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.