Evaluating depth distribution of excimer laser induced defects in silicon using micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy

International audienceLaser Thermal Annealing (LTA) has been demonstrated to be an effective method to create heavily doped regions required for ultra-shallow junctions, in which dopants are typically introduced by ion implantation. More generally, laser annealing is very attractive due to the localised nature of the annealing process (both on the wafer surface and in depth), allowing dopants to be activated while preserving the integrity of the surrounding areas. Similarly, it is generally accepted that the laser induced damage, if any, is also localised and is reduced when using ultrashort pulses. However, the depth distribution of the laser induced damage has been rarely investigated in detail, with few works reporting on the subsurface doping and damage in laser-doped Si solar cells [1, 2]