ELECTRON-SPIN-RESONANCE STUDY OF LASER-ANNEALED (ZN,MN)O CERAMICS

Investigations have been made on the effects of pulse laser annealing on the ceramics (Zn,Mn)O by means of electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. A remarkable change in the ESR spectrum was observed after annealing by a Nd:YAG pulse laser (lambda = 1.064-mu-m, 5-7 J/cm2). It suggests that segregated Mn2+ precipitates at grain boundaries in ZnO are diffused into crystal grains by preferential heat conduction through the boundaries. The scanning electron microscope observation verified enough melting features within the ceramics.