Materials science issues related to the fabrication of highly doped junctions by laser annealing of Group IV semiconductors

This chapter presents a review of the most relevant experimental results demonstrating the ability of nanosecond laser annealing to achieve dopant activation well above the solid solubility limit. Several distinctive materials science issues related to laser kinetics in the melt regime are reviewed, including melt temperature differences between amorphous and crystalline phases, melt front propagation, melt duration, recrystallization velocity, and solute trapping. Finally, the morphology, crystalline nature, and residual damage of Si, Ge, and SiGe materials submitted to nanosecond laser anneals in the melt regime are discussed according to the material fabrication history as well as the laser anneal conditions.