J. Gunster et al., Pulsed laser ablation of dense sintered AlN and AlN powder samples studiedby time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, APPL SURF S, 173(1-2), 2001, pp. 76-83
The response of tape-casted polycrystalline dense sintered AlN wafers and u
niaxial densified AIN powder pellets to pulsed laser radiation (pulse lengt
h 7 ns FWHM) is studied at energy fluences over the ablation threshold. The
pulse energy is varied between 64 and 1400 mJ/cm(2) at wavelengths between
250 and 1000 nm. The ablation yield is quantified by a quadruple mass spec
trometer. Dense sintered AlN samples show a linear response upto 400 mJ/cm(
2) while at fluences over 400 mJ/cm(2) a saturation of the ablation yield i
s noticeable. AlN powder samples, on the other hand, do not show this satur
ation. Moreover, the total ablation yield on powder samples is significantl
y higher. These observations supplemented by secondary electron microscopy
images have been discussed in terms of sample composition, surface metalliz
ation, and ablation plume formation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig
hts reserved.