Reactive pulsed laser deposition of silica and doped silica thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2003-08, Vol.437 (1), p.211-216
• Main Authors: Ford, A.C, Tepper, T, Ross, C.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Doped silicon oxide; Exact sciences and technology; Laser ablation; Laser deposition; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity); Optical constants: refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physics; Silicon oxide
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/S0040-6090(03)00668-0

Silicon oxide and Si-, GeO 2-, B 2O 3- and P 2O 5-doped SiO 2 films were deposited under various conditions by pulsed laser deposition using a KrF (248 nm wavelength) excimer laser, and were characterized by profilometry, ellipsometry and Rutherford backscattering. Relationships between laser energy, repetition rate, substrate temperature and oxygen pressure, and the composition, optical properties and roughness of the films were examined. SiO 2 deposited from a Si target at a substrate temperature of 400 °C, oxygen pressure of approximately 6 Pa, laser energy of 550 mJ/pulse, and laser repetition rate of 25 Hz had a composition and refractive index close to the bulk values. Doped silica was made by ablation from sintered mixed oxide targets. Germanium and phosphorus doping increased the refractive index as compared to pure SiO 2, but boron doping decreased the refractive index.