Transient annealing of semiconductors by laser, electron beam and radiant heating techniques

The annealing of semiconductors is of critical importance for successful electronic device fabrication. The present review surveys the new field of transient annealing and covers all timescales below those available with the conventional furnace. The work outlined includes the use of techniques which rely upon transient energy deposition in semiconductors from laser, electron beam, ion beam and other radiant sources. The many advances which have been achieved using these transient annealing methods in both fundamental and applied areas of physics are described.