Effect of the ambient atmosphere and the gas type on generation of defects and destruction of silicon surface under the action of laser pulses

Solid-phase destruction of the silicon surface under the action of submicrosecond laser pulses in the atmosphere of various active (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide) and inert gases (helium, argon, krypton) is studied. It is found that the surface destruction threshold (the threshold of formation of inhomogeneities in the surface relief) is lowest in helium atmosphere and highest in krypton atmosphere. A mechanism for inhomogeneity growth and relaxation is proposed.