On the growth mechanisms of thin films produced by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

For more than ten years Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) has been used to produce Y\Ba2CU307-l5 (YBCO) thin films. Most groups have reported their capacity to produce films with roughly optimum characteristics. Unfortunately, the deposition parameters used by the individual groups vruy within broad limits [1][2][3][4][5]. Each group develops a similar but unique recipe of deposition parameters, which, combined with other system specific characteristics, optimises their film properties. TQe implication of this is that...!!1e set of parameters being reported is not the whole sto1)'. In this pager we put forward a set of generally accepted t'a~out the PLD ~ess and we list the neces@ implications of these facts. To account for the facts w~uggest _a model based uPon t~on of a collisionalla)!:er at the surface of the film and the selective retention of impinginK species.