Experimental tests for boson condensation and superconductivity in semiconductors during pulsed beam annealing

Abstract

Van Vechten and Compaan and, independently, Nagy and Noga have proposed that the high reflectivity state observed in pulsed laser/electron/ion beam annealing of Si and other semiconductors results when the electron-hole plasma created by the initial absorption of the ionizing radiation undergoes a boson condensation. The condensed state is described in the same form as the BCS superconductor and has many of the properties of the superconducting state. Lattice temperatures for the material during this phase have beeb measured by Raman scattering to lie in the range from 500 to 1000 K. At this writing no magnetic experiment has been completed to test this proposition further. In addition to the practical problems associated with such a test, there are theoretical questions such as whether or not the bipolar plasma ought to be able to expel a magnetic field within the 100 ns or so that it persists in the proposed boson condensed phase. If not, it does not exhibit perfect diamagnetism and the Meissner effect. An experiment is proposed that is argued to be both easy to perform and to offer a conclusive demonstration of boson condensation. The proposed experiment involves observation of the single plasmon mode by diffraction or from the appearance of linear ripples left on the solid surface and the rotation of this pattern. Preliminary observations seem to confirm the condensation.