Low-Pulse-Energy Excimer-Laser-Induced Damage in Thermally Oxidized Si(100) Substrates

Abstract

Thermally oxidized Si (100) substrates were irradiated with excimer laser pulses with a low energy density, and the minority-carrier recombination lifetime and interface state density were measured. Irradiation with an ArF (λ=193 nm) excimer laser shortened the lifetime and raised the interface state density. These effects depend on the fluence, but not the energy density, of the pulses. Irradiation with KrCl (λ=222 nm), KrF (λ=248 nm), and XeCl (λ=308 nm) excimer lasers did not affect the lifetime.