Melting Temperature and Explosive Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon during Pulsed Laser Irradiation

Measurements during pulsed laser irradiation indicate that amorphous Si melts at a temperature 200 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 50 K below the crystalline value. Below energy densities required to melt the amorphous layer fully, the data are interpreted in terms of an explosive crystallization. The initial liquid layer solidifies to form coarse-grained polycrystalline Si. A thin, self-propagating liquid layer travels through the remaining amorphous Si at a velocity of 10-20 m/s, producing fine-grained polycrystalline Si.