| abstract |
A method of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) capable of continuously tuning formed-film morphology from that of a nanoparticle aggregate to a smooth thin film free of particles and droplets. The materials that can be synthesized using various embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to, metals, alloys, metal oxides, and semiconductors. In various embodiments a 'burst' mode of ultrashort pulsed laser ablation and deposition is provided. Tuning of the film morphology is achieved by controlling the burst-mode parameters such as the number of pulses and the time-spacing between the pulses within each burst, the burst repetition rate, and the laser fluence. The system includes an ultrashort pulsed laser, an optical system for delivering a focused onto the target surface with an appropriate energy density, and a vacuum chamber in which the target and the substrate are installed and background gases and their pressures are appropriately adjusted. |