Dynamics of laser-induced phase transitions in cadmium telluride

A numerical simulation of the dynamics of phase transitions induced by nanosecond pulsed radiation from a ruby laser in CdTe has been carried out. It is shown that evaporation of Cd atoms results in cooling of the surface; consequently, a nonmonotonic profile of the temperature field is formed, with the maximum temperature being attained in the bulk of the semiconductor at a distance of about 10-30 nm from the surface. At radiation energy densities above the threshold, the molten state formed under the surface extends both to the surface and into the depth of the semiconductor. Crystallization also proceeds in two directions, namely, from the surface into the depth of the samples due to the growth of nucleation centers in the melt, which is highly depleted in Cd atoms under the conditions of intense heat removal, and from the substrate to the surface due to epitaxial growth. (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.