ANALYSIS OF THE NDBA2CU3OX THIN-FILM GROWTH-MECHANISM BY TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF THE LASER PLUME

Time of flight (TOF) spectroscopic measurements are used to diagnose t he laser-generated plume of ceramic NdBa2Cu3Ox targets. We have been a ble to directly correlate the laser-deposited films' properties such a s superconductivity, crystallinity, and orientation with plasma proper ties. Study of the TOF spectra shows that at laser fluences greater th an 3 J/cm(2) the plume become Nd-rich, and this leads to a low T-c in the deposited film. We have also shown the effect of target density on the energy of the plume species, and through energy considerations we have explained the observed change in the crystalline orientation of films from c- to a-orientation with increasing the target density. Fin ally, we have examined the oxidation mechanism of NdBa2Cu3Ox thin film s, and have shown that highly energetic atomic oxygens have a prevaili ng role in oxidizing our laser-deposited thin films.