During flash lamp annealing an energy storage is discharged via a single flash lamp or a field of flash lamps in the range of milliseconds. The resulting broadband light pulse is absorbed by the sample and converted into heat and typically resulting in a temperature difference between the front and the rear of the sample. The optional pre-heating system in the back (usually a heating plate or halogen lamp) preheats the substrate. This enables higher maximum temperatures to be reached while reducing thermal stresses.

FLA is typically applied for:

• Layer crystallization
• Dopant activation
• Phase formation
• Defect curing
• Improvement of functional layer properties e.g., electrical conductivity, carrier lifetime, thermal conductivity
• Thermal treatment of layers on temperature sensitive substrates