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1993
Journal Article
Titel
Complete description of the material transfer and the deposition by PLD of thin films of ceramic materials
Abstract
Thin films of ceramic materials (Al2O3, ZrO2, SiC) for technical applications are deposited at different laser parameters (wavelength, fluence, mode of operation) and processing variables (processing gas pressure and composition, rf bias, distance target-substrate). The material transfer is studied by emission spectroscopy, high-speed photography and ion-probe-measurements as a function of laser parameters and processing variables. Time-resolved measurements of the geometry, dynamics, velocity of the vapour/plasma front as well as their composition, ionization state, electron-temperature and ion density are obtained. The morphology, structure and composition of the films are investigated by SEM, XRD, EDX, AES and SAM. The deposited films show a broad variety of different structures, which corresponding to sputtered films on heated substrates are discussed in view of applications. The simulations of the material removal either by thermal modelling of vaporization or modelling including vaporization and plasma formation yield the onset of vaporization, the rate of material removal as well as composition, density and temperature of the expanding vapour and/or plasma phase. The overall view of experimental and theoretical results allows the complete description of the material transfer which is discussed with respect to the properties of the thin films deposited.