EFFECTS OF SUBSTRATE-TEMPERATURE ON THE LASER DAMAGE THRESHOLD OF SPUTTERED SIO2-FILMS

SiO2 films have been deposited by ion-beam sputtering techniques eithe r without assistance or with Ar-ion assistance and the role of the sub strate temperature during the deposition process on the film damage th reshold by laser Light at the wavelength of 308 nm (XeCl) has been inv estigated. The photoacoustic probe beam deflection technique has been used to determine damage thresholds and it is shown that this techniqu e provides valuable information on the mechanisms leading to laser dam age. It has been found that the samples deposited by the Ar-ion beam s puttering technique are characterized by higher damage thresholds at l ower temperatures of the substrate than the SiO2 films deposited witho ut ion assistance. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(98)05 206-3].