Spatial and energy distribution of Co, Ag and Pt particles in pulsed laser deposition: in view of the fabrication of nanometer multilayer film

Abstract

The measurement of thickness profiles of films (Co, Ag, Pt) with an ellipsometer, and the time-of-flight measurement, were used to investigate the spatial distribution of laser-ablated Co, Ag and Pt particles. Near a target, the spatial distribution shows the material dependence: it was observed that Co has the broadest distribution, and Ag has the narrowest distribution. However, at a distance far from the target, the distribution becomes independent of the materials. The time-of-flight measurement reveals that the kinetic energy distribution of ions is anisotropic and Co has a less anisotropic distribution than Ag. This study leads us to the optimum conditions for the fabrication of nm multi-layer (ML) films with good quality, which was confirmed by the fabrication of Co/Pt nm ML films.