Ablation threshold of GaN films for ultrashort laser pulses and the role of threading dislocations as damage precursors

authored by
Steffen Bornemann, Tobias Meyer, Tobias Voss, Andreas Waag
Abstract

The laser-induced ablation threshold of c-plane GaN films upon exposure to ultrashort laser pulses was investigated for different wavelengths from the IR to the UV range and pulse widths between 0.34 and 10 ps. The one-pulse ablation threshold ranges between 0.15 and 3 J/cm

2 and shows an increase with the wavelength and the pulse width, except for deep UV pulses. Based on a rate equation model, we attribute this behavior to the efficiency of seed carrier generation by interband absorption. In addition, the multi-pulse ablation threshold was analyzed. Accumulation effects are more prominent in case of IR than with UV pulses and are closely linked to damage precursors. By a thorough structural investigation, we demonstrate that threading dislocations, especially those with a screw component, significantly contribute to laser damage, since they provide a variety of dispersed states within the band gap.

Organisation(s)
QuantumFrontiers
External Organisation(s)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Type
Article
Journal
Optics express
Volume
30
Pages
47744-47760
No. of pages
17
ISSN
1094-4087
Publication date
15.12.2022
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.471111 (Access: Open)
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-30-26-47744 (Access: Unknown)