Laser ablation of a Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O-3 target in a pulsed oxygen jet

Time-of-flight (TOF) quadrupole mass spectroscopic studies on a crossed bea m scattering of a Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O-3 plume and a pulsed oxygen jet were perfor med by direct sampling of ions escaping from a laser-induced plasma (plume) . Transport and energetics of ions in the plume were significantly affected by mechanical collisions and reactive scatterings. Relative enrichment of metal and metal oxide ions was also changed by the oxygen jet because of th e differences in the mass and chemical properties of the ions. In particula r, an anomalous increase of Pb+ ions was observed at high laser fluences wi th the oxygen pulse on, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.