Optical and Thermal Behavior of Germanium Thin Films under Femtosecond Laser Irradiation

Autor: Ahmed Abdelmalek, Lebogang Kotsedi, Zeyneb Bedrane, El-Hachemi Amara, Marco Girolami, Malik Maaza
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Nanomaterials, Vol 12, Iss 21, p 3786 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2079-4991
DOI: 10.3390/nano12213786
Popis: In this study, we theoretically investigate the response of a germanium thin film under femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation. Electron and lattice temperatures, as well as material-specific optical properties such as dielectric function and reflectivity, were calculated during the irradiation using an extended two-temperature model coupled with the carrier density rate equation and the Drude model. Melting and ablation fluence thresholds were also predicted, resulting in 0.14 J cm−2 and 0.35 J cm−2, respectively. An ultrafast change in both optical and thermal properties was detected upon laser irradiation. Results also indicate that thermal melting occurs after germanium takes on a metallic character during irradiation, and that the impact ionization process may have a critical role in the laser-induced thermal effect. Therefore, we suggest that the origin of the thermal modification of germanium surface under femtosecond laser irradiation is mostly due the impact ionization process and that its effect becomes more important when increasing the laser fluence.
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