Flexible hardware concept of pulsed laser deposition for large areas and combinatorial composition spreads

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is one of the most flexible physical growth techniques for thin films of functional materials at the research and demonstrator level. We describe here a relatively simple and reliable concept of the PLD hardware that allows both deposition on large areas up to 4 in. diameter and deposition of tailored lateral and vertical composition spreads without time-consuming hardware changes. Different PLD approaches have been implemented in various chambers via specific and correlated computer-controlled movements of the target, substrate, and masks in conjunction with an appropriate target phase composition. The design of the chambers benefits from our long-term experience to find the most reliable solutions for the critical mechanical and high-temperature parts.