Methods for reducing droplet formation density on the surface of thin semiconductor films by pulse laser deposition: review
O.V. Devitsky1,2
1 Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the RAS
2 North Caucasus Federal University
DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2024.16.631
Review
Abstract: The review discusses the most effective methods for reducing droplet density on the surface of thin films during pulsed laser deposition. This review highlights pulsed laser deposition as a promising technique for producing thin films from a wide range of materials. However, a significant challenge to its industrial application is the formation of droplets on the thin film surface. The primary causes of the droplet formation are identified, and a classification of methods to reduce the droplet density during pulsed laser deposition is provided. Completely eliminating droplets without compromising the quality or altering the stoichiometric composition of the thin films is exceedingly difficult, and no researchers have achieved this to date. The most effective strategy for reducing the droplet density involves optimizing the pulsed laser deposition parameters for specific material groups. Techniques such as using a segmented crystalline target, periodically rotating it at a specific speed, and employing excimer lasers at the energy densities slightly above the ablation threshold have been shown to reduce the droplet density on the thin film surface to as low as 103 cm-2. The physical and chemical processes occurring on the target surface have the greatest impact on the droplet formation. Among active methods, high-speed filtration is the most effective, capable of reducing droplet density to approximately 2 ⋅ 103 cm-2.
Keywords: pulsed laser deposition, thin films, droplet density, high-speed filtration, segmented target, dual-pulse laser deposition, laser energy density
- Oleg V. Devitsky – Ph. D., Leading Researcher, Laboratory of Physics and Technology of Semiconductor Nanoheterostructures for Microwave Electronics and Photonics, Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the RAS, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Chemistry North Caucasus Federal University
Reference:
Devitsky, O.V. Methods for reducing droplet formation density on the surface of thin semiconductor films by pulse laser deposition: review / O.V. Devitsky // Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials. — 2024. — I. 16. — P. 631-642. DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2024.16.631. (In Russian).
Full article (in Russian): download PDF file
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