Pulsed-laser irradiated silicon studied by time-resolved x-ray absorption (90–300 eV)

We report the first x-ray absorption spectra of pulsed-laser irradiated amorphous Si around the Si L edge, recorded with a time resolution of 18 hs. At irradiances above 0.17 J/cm² significant differences are found with the spectrum of amorphous Si. The disappearance of the characteristic Si LII,III edge structure at 100 eV and the decrease in overall absorption are interpreted in terms of the metallic character of liquid Si and the formation of droplets, respectively.