LASER-ABLATION IN A REACTIVE ATMOSPHERE - APPLICATION TO THE SYNTHESIS AND DEPOSITION PERFORMANCE OF TITANIUM CARBIDE THIN-FILMS

We report the synthesis and deposition of Ti carbide thin layers by mu ltipulse excimer laser ablation of Ti targets in CH4 at low ambient pr essure (in the microbar range). The layers deposited on single-crystal line Si wafers are characterized by optical microscopy, scanning elect ron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, photoelectron spectroscopy, and spe ctroscopic ellipsometry. We obtained deposition rates in the range 0.2 to 0.3 Angstrom pulse for a target-collector separation distance of 1 2.5 mm. The deposition parameters were found to be in good agreement w ith the predictions of the theoretical model based on the assumption o f the adiabatic expansion of the plasma in the ambient gas. (C) 1996 S ociety of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.