TiC and TaC deposition by pulsed laser ablation: a comparative approach

Titanium and tantalum monocarbides have been evaporated by means of doubled Nd-YAG laser and deposited on oriented silicon substrates. The gaseous pha se and the deposited films have been characterised by mass spectrometry, op tical imaging (ICCD camera) and electron microscopy analysis (SEM, TEM), X- ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The major differences between the two systems, observed in the gas phase analys is concern the plume composition and morphology which are strictly related to the films characteristics. In fact, while in the case of TiC it is possi ble to identify several evaporation mechanisms as a function of the laser f luence leading to different film composition, the ablation of TaC can be in terpreted mainly in terms of a single process. The steps of the film growth were also studied for both systems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.