Formation of Submicron Single Crystal Particles and Dots by Laser Ablation

Abstract

We have investigated the formation of micron-sized single crystal dots of germanium by pulsed laser ablation. The laser ablation of a Ge target (KrF excimer laser λ=248 nm, pulse rate 10Hz, pulse duration 25x10⁻⁹ seconds, and energy 10J /cm²) results in the formation of micron and submicron liquid droplets which are ejected from the target. These droplets can be crystallized into single crystal dots on lattice-matched substrates by rapid liquid-phase recrystallization. We report the details of microstructure as a function of dot size. It is found that under these conditions, below a critical size (about 2μm), the dots are crystalline;above which dots become polycrystalline. We discuss the implications of the results in producing doped and undoped single-crystal quantum dots for device applications.