The optical properties of SiO₂-(Co plus Si)-SiO₂-Si structures studied by treatment with Q-switched YAG:Nd and carbon dioxide lasers are presented. The photo-thermo- chemical reaction of Co with Si has a threshold character. No change in optical properties of (Co plus Si) mixture was observed up to 2 MW/cm² intensities of carbon dioxide laser radiation. A decrease of the reflection coefficient R from 70% to 45% is observed as the intensity is increased up to 8 MW/cm². When this multilayer structure is subject to Q-switched YAG:Nd laser radiation of the intensity from 14 MW/cm² to 53 MW/cm², the magnitude of the reflection coefficient returns to its initial value 70%. It means that information recorded by carbon dioxide laser is erased. Calculations of the temperature field during irradiation with carbon dioxide and YAG:Nd laser showed that the phase transition from mixture (Co plus Si) to CoSi₂ caused by carbon dioxide laser irradiation results in recording of information, whereas the thermal impact caused by YAG:Nd laser irradiation results in amorphization of CoSi₂ and erasing of information.

Date Published: 6 February 1997
PDF: 5 pages
Proc. SPIE 2968, Optical Organic and Semiconductor Inorganic Materials, (6 February 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.266822

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2968:
Optical Organic and Semiconductor Inorganic Materials
Edgar A. Silinsh; Arthur Medvids; Andrejs R. Lusis; Andris O. Ozols, Editor(s)