  Ultraviolet nanosecond laser annealing (UV-NLA) proves to be an important
technique, particularly when tightly controlled heating and melting are
necessary. In the realm of semiconductor technologies, the significance of
nanosecond laser annealing (NLA) grows in tandem with the escalating intricacy
of integration schemes in nano-scaled devices. Silicon-germanium alloys have
been studied for decades for their compatibility with silicon devices. Indeed,
they enable the manipulation of properties like strain, carrier mobilities and
bandgap. In this framework, they can for instance boost the performances of
p-type MOSFETs but also enable near infra-red absorption and emission for
applications in photo-detection and photonics. Laser melting on such type of
layers, however results, up to now, in the development of extended defects and
poor control over layer morphology and homogeneity. In our study, we
investigate the laser melting of ~700 nm thick relaxed silicon-germanium
samples coated with SiO2 nano-arrays, observing the resulting material to
maintain an unaltered lattice. We found the geometrical parameters of the
silicon oxide having an impact on the thermal budget samples see, influencing
melt threshold, melt depth and germanium distribution.
