REAL-TIME EMISSION-SPECTROSCOPY DURING LASER-ABLATION OF BISRCACUO TARGETS

The dynamics of the plume induced during laser excimer ablation of a B iSrCaCuO target was studied by real time emission spectroscopy with sp atial resolution. It is found that the presence of oxygen (7 x 10(-1) mbar) enhances the emission line intensity. Although a decrease in spe cies velocity is observed at large distances from the target surface, no clear evidence of the formation of oxide molecules in the gas phase is found. It is also found that the laser energy density plays a sign ificant role in the ablation process since the ratio of ion to neutral populations increases sharply as the energy density is increased.