Embodiments of the present invention are provided for improved contact doping and annealing systems and processes. In embodiments, a plasma ion immersion implantation (PIII) process is used for contact doping of nanowires and other nanoelement based thin film devices. According to further embodiments of the present invention, pulsed laser annealing using laser energy at relatively low laser fluences below about 100 mJ/cm 2 (e.g., less than about 50 mJ/cm 2 , e.g., between about 2 and 18 mJ/cm 2 ) is used to anneal nanowire and other nanoelement-based devices on substrates, such as low temperature flexible substrates, e.g., plastic substrates.