Background gas effects on structural properties in thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

Yuka Yamada; Nobuyasu Suzuki; Toshiharu Makino; Takehito Yoshida

doi:10.1117/12.470613

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18 June 2002 Background gas effects on structural properties in thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Toshiharu Makino, Takehito Yoshida

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Proceedings Volume 4637, Photon Processing in Microelectronics and Photonics; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.470613
Event: High-Power Lasers and Applications, 2002, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in background gases is a promising method of preparing multicomponent functional thin films, because interactions between the ablated species and the background gases promote not only physical collisions but also chemical reactions, and affect the characteristics of the deposited films. The properties of indium oxide (In₂O₃) thin films prepared by PLD in background gases were characterized in relation to the background gas pressures. Transparent crystalline In₂O₃ thin films could be obtained at background gas pressures above 1.0 Torr on unheated glass substrates. This result can be accounted for by the background gas effects. The stoichiometric In₂O₃ nuclei should be formed in the nonequilibrium high-pressure and high-temperature region generated by the shock front excited by the pulsed laser. Microstructures of the deposited thin films were also investigated using a cross-sectional transmission electron microscope. Initially, amorphous-like layers with a thickness of about 50 nm were formed on the substrates. Subsequently, strongly textured crystalline columns grew on the amorphous-like layers. We discuss the mechanism of thin film growth in PLD.

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Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Toshiharu Makino, and Takehito Yoshida "Background gas effects on structural properties in thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition", Proc. SPIE 4637, Photon Processing in Microelectronics and Photonics, (18 June 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.470613

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