The pulsed laser ablation deposition technique: a new deposition configuration for the synthesis of uniform films

The conventional configuration (substrate parallel and frontal to the target surface) of the pulsed laser ablation deposition technique has been modified for improving the film uniformity with acceptable deposition rates, leading to the 'dynamic deposition configuration'. The novelty of this arrangement is the ability to place by computer-control the substrate synchronously in front of the plume axis compensating the plume deflection effect. The new geometrical configuration was used to deposit films of Ti, Al and Cu. All the deposited films exhibited both high thickness uniformity and remarkable deposition rates. Initial results of the experiments are explained and compared with the results obtained in the conventional configuration, in otherwise similar experimental conditions. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.