KRF LASER PHOTOABLATION OF A GRAPHITE TARGET - APPLICATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIN-FILMS

The plasma plume created above a graphite target irradiated by a KrF l aser beam (248 nm) has been investigated using three experimental meth ods: ion detection, time and spatially resolved emission spectroscopy and double Langmuir probe. Measurements give information on the energe tic distribution of ionic species, on the kinetic temperature of the g as and on the electronic density of the plasma plume. Carbon thin film s have been deposited on silicon substrates: for high fluence values ( above 1000 J cm-2) and low temperature (30-degrees-C), the films are h arder than c-BN, their refractive index is 2.4, and XPS analysis gives spectra with a high sp3 configuration.