Morphological study of Sn–Se–Sb–Co amorphous thin film after Nd:YAG pulsed laser irradiation

Sn29Se56Sb10Co5 amorphous thin films were prepared on the polymer substrates, and was irradiated at room temperature by Nd:YAG pulsed laser in air, with the wavelength of 532 nm, pulse width of 90 ns after equilibration. Irradiation-induced surface morphological modifications were characterized using Secco-etching aided scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Complementary information was obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum and energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS). The experimental results demonstrated that the grain size distribution was closely related to the laser beam profile. As a function of laser fluence, the average grain size evolution was also studied, which may not be interpreted by the conventional crystallography theories, and was related to some threshold effects.