Fabrication of micro and submicro Y-Ba-Cu-O particles by excimer laser processing

We have investigated the crystallization of amorphous Y-Ba-Cu-O films with pulsed laser irradiation. The Y-Ba-Cu-O films were prepared on Si (001) sub strates by pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. The microstructure and surface morphology of the films during the crystallization process were studied by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Micro or su bmicro Y-Ba-Cu-O crystalline particles can be obtained with variant laser p ulses and energy densities. The particles have half-spherical or even spher ical shapes on the film surfaces, and the saturated particle sizes were fou nd to be determined by the film thickness. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society . [S0734-2101(00)04705-9].