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Nonequilibrium interlayer transport in pulsed laser deposition.
J Z Tischler1, Gyula Eres, B C Larson
1Condensed Matter Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|June 29, 2006
Summary
Pulsed laser deposition involves rapid, nonequilibrium interlayer transport during plume arrival, dominating the growth kinetics. Slower, thermally driven processes govern material transfer between laser shots.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Thin Film Deposition
Background:
- Understanding thin film growth kinetics is crucial for controlling material properties.
- Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a complex technique involving rapid material transfer.
- The interplay between nonequilibrium and thermal transport during PLD is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the growth kinetics of pulsed laser deposited films at microsecond resolution.
- To elucidate the dominant transport mechanisms during the initial stages of PLD.
- To quantify the contributions of fast nonequilibrium and slow thermal transport.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-resolved surface X-ray diffraction measurements.
- Achieved microsecond range resolution for probing rapid dynamics.
- Determined time-dependent surface coverages from crystal truncation rod intensity transients.
Main Results:
- Identified extremely fast nonequilibrium interlayer transport occurring concurrently with laser plume arrival.
- Demonstrated that this rapid transport dominates the initial deposition process.
- Observed a smaller fraction of material transfer governed by slow, thermally driven processes between laser shots.
Conclusions:
- Nonequilibrium interlayer transport is the primary mechanism during the arrival of the laser plume in PLD.
- Thermal transport plays a secondary role, influenced by the dwell time between laser pulses.
- These findings provide critical insights into controlling PLD processes for advanced materials.