In this work we study the mechanisms of laser radiation interaction with elementary semiconductors such as Si and Ge and their solid solution SiGe. As a result of this investigation, the mechanisms of nanocones and microcones formation on a surface of semiconductor were proposed. We have shown the possibility to control the size and the shape of cones both by the laser. The main reason for the formation of nanocones is the mechanical compressive stresses due to the atoms’ redistribution caused by the gradient of temperature induced by strongly absorbed laser radiation. According to our investigation, the nanocone formation mechanism in semiconductors is characterized by two stages. The first stage is characterized by formation of a p-n junction for elementary semiconductors or of a Ge/Si heterojunction for SiGe solid solution. The generation and redistribution of intrinsic point defects in elementary semiconductors and Ge atoms concentration on the irradiated surface of SiGe solid solution in temperature gradient field take place at this stage due to the thermogradient effect which is caused by strongly absorbed laser radiation. The second stage is characterized by formation of nanocones due to mechanical plastic deformation of the compressed Ge layer on Si. Moreover, a new 1D-graded band gap structure in elementary semiconductors due to quantum confinement effect was formed. For the formation of microcones Ni/Si structure was used. The mechanism of the formation of microcones is characterized by two stages as well. The first stage is the melting of Ni film after irradiation by laser beam and formation of Ni islands due to surface tension force. The second step is the melting of Ni and subsequent manifestations of Marangoni effect with the growth of microcones.

The research report is devoted to the development of a new method of nanostructures formation in ITO/p-Si/Al structure with powerful laser radiation and study of its optical and electrical properties for solar cells applications. It was shown that after the structure irradiation by Nd:YAG laser second harmonic, dark current voltage characteristics become diode-like. Increase of ITO/p-Si/Al solar cell efficiency after irradiation by the laser, using photocurrent voltage characteristic method, was shown.

The effect of ultrasonic treatment (UST) on the defect structure of the Si–SiO2system is characterised by means of electron spin resonance (ESR), metallography, MOS capacitance measurements and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). A non-monotonous dependence of the defect densities on the ultrasonic wave intensity has been observed. The influence of the UST frequency on the ESR signal intensity of the defect centres depended on the defect’s type and structure and may be caused by vibrational energy dissipation which is a function of the defect centre’s type. The influence of the UST on the Si–SiO2interface properties depends on the oxide thickness and crystallographic orientation. The density of point defects and absorbed impurities at the Si–SiO2interface can be reduced and its electrical parameters improved by an appropriate choice of UST and oxidation conditions.

Thick polycrystalline Cd 1−x Zn x Te films with x ranged from 0.37 to 0.80 were obtained by the close spaced vacuum sublimation method. In order to investigate properties of the films structural, PIXE and Raman studies were carried out. Determination of chemical composition of the films by EDS, PIXE and XRD has shown good correlation of results. Raman spectroscopy reveals the relation between zinc concentration and vibrational properties of the films. Studies of the spatial distribution of the chemical elements on the film surface by micro-PIXE and micro-Raman spectroscopy have shown that films are uniform and free of secondary phases such as CdTe, ZnTe and Te inclusions.

The possibility to form “black silicon” on the surface of Si structure by Nd:YAG laser radiation has been shown. The shape and height of micro-cone structure strongly depends on Nd:YAG laser intensity and number of laser pulses. Light is repeatedly reflected between the cones in the way that most of it is absorbed. Si micro-cone structure spectral thermal radiation is close to black body spectral radiance, which makes this structure useful for solar cells application. The micro-chemical analysis performed by SEM has shown that the microstructures contain NiSi2. This was approved by presence of LO phonon line in Raman back scattering spectrum. The control of micro-cone shape and height was achieved by changing the laser intensity and number of pulses.