Parameters that control pulsed electron beam ablation of materials and film deposition processes

Abstract

Conditions for ablation of materials and film deposition were analyzed for a pulsed (∼100 ns) electron beam produced by a channel-spark source. For dielectric materials, we found the existence of an optimal source voltage related to the saturation of the pulse current. Our analysis indicates a larger ablated mass, smaller optimal deposition rates (∼0.25 Å/pulse), and a larger optimal target to substrate distance relative to pulsed laser deposition process.

Preparation of Highly Textured ZnO Thin Films by Pulsed Electron Deposition

“…Since the electrons are negatively charged, they interact very effectively via Coulomb interaction with materials like wide-band-gap semiconductors, metals and oxides. 17) This method thus may be feasible for producing high quality ZnO thin films. In this study, we report the influence of variable deposition parameters like substrate temperature and the oxygen pressure on the growth of highly oriented ZnO thin films by PED in relation to fixed parameters like the discharge voltage, related to the average energy of each electron ($eU), and pulse frequency.…”

Modeling of Plasma Expansion during Pulsed Electron Beam Ablation of Graphite

“…As anticipated, the maximum pressure is located near the target surface. As it can be observed, at 20 ns, the maximum value of the plasma pressure is ~2.7×10 6 Pa, which decreases as the plasma plume moves away from the surface. As time progresses, the pressure of expanding plasma declines.…”

“…Upon irradiation with a pulsed electron beam, the surface of the target goes through heating and phase change from the solid phase to the vapor phase [6]. Accordingly, phase transition must be taken into account during target ablation.…”

Self-Assembled Epitaxial Multiferroic Oxide Nanostructures Grown by Pulsed Electron Deposition

“…In one work, YBCO films were grown at a variety of target to substrate distances and growth rates at the 9 cm distance used in our chamber were 0.36 Å/pulse. 112 By contrast, the LSMO films presented in this work were grown at a rate of 0.002 Å/pulse, which is more than 150 times slower than the growth rate in the previous work. In…”

“…Most notably, the optimal deposition rate for PED is roughly four times lower than that for PLD to deposit material. 112 The growth conditions for samples in this work, such as substrate temperature, gun voltage, and operating pressure and gas mixture, were varied depending on the material being deposited and the desired film morphology. The appendix to this thesis provides a chart with a detailed list of the growth conditions for each sample shown in this work.…”