Experimental test of the non-thermal theory of laser annealing using silicon on sapphire

The non-thermal, pulsed plasma model of laser annealing was experimentally tested by comparing the effects of 30 ns and 1 μs laser pulses on silicon on sapphire films, impinging from both the front and rear surfaces. The energy density needed to anneal the films and the qualitative behavior of thermal shock damages are in accordance with the simple heating model and inconsistent with the non-thermal model. © 1980.