Transient-reflectivity study of pulsed UV-laser-induced oxidation of Sb

Abstract

Laser-induced oxidation of single-crystalline antimony and polycrystalline Sb films is studied. The samples are irradiated in an oxygen atmosphere (1.2 bar) by means of UltraViolet (UV) laser pulses while reflectivity measurements are used to monitor the oxidation process in real time. It is shown that there is an optical coupling between the growing oxide layer and the bulk material underneath which produces a dynamical change of the optical properties and leads to a non-constant growth rate. Depending on the laser energy density used, there is a critical oxide thickness above which a material-loss process starts, limiting the ultimate growth of the oxide layer. © 1994 Springer-Verlag.