The removal of implantation damage in silicon by laser irradiation and its thermal stability

The damage removal by Nd‐Yag laser irradiation was studied for high dose P+, As+ and Sb+ ion implantations in 〈111〉 Si. The implantation conditions were chosen in such a way that after furnace annealing misfit dislocations were formed. We found that by laser irradiation of the furnace annealed samples the misfit dislocations were removed. By laser irradiation of as‐implanted Si these dislocations were not formed at all. By applying subsequent annealing processes we found that the effect of laser irradiation is thermally stable. The results are discussed in terms of a melting‐recrystallization process.