about PLD.
Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a physical vapour deposition technique in which a high-power pulsed laser beam is focused onto a target material. This material vaporizes into a plasma plume which expands away from the target and condenses onto a substrate as a thin-film. This process occurs in ultra-high vacuum or in the presence of a background gas. Oxygen is commonly used when depositing oxides to fully oxygenate the deposited films.
As PLD is based on material ablation with a high power laser, the technique has proven to be very useful for the deposition of high melting point ceramics or (complex) metal oxides, which opened up a wide field of thin-film materials science research.
While the basic setup is simple relative to many other deposition techniques, the physical phenomena of laser-target interaction and film growth are quite complex. When the laser pulse is absorbed by the target, energy is first converted to electronic excitation and then into thermal, chemical and mechanical energy resulting in evaporation, ablation, and the formation of the plasma plume consisting of many species including neutrals and ionized particles. Depending on the background gas environment, laser spot characteristics, substrate temperature etc, species thermalise, oxidise and form a thin-film with specific structure, morphology and properties.
products.
Demcon TSST systems are state-of-the-art, highly flexible custom designed systems for thin-film research at the atomic level, ideally suited and field-proven for research on a large variety of materials, including complex oxides.
HIGHLIHGTS
- Single monolayer growth control with RHEED
- Down to 5.0 × 10-10 mbar base pressure
- Up to 1100°C growth temperature
- Integration of other PVD techniques
- Remote support, service and on site training by TSST engineers
sample heating and manipulation.
Depending on sample size and temperature requirements we offer:
- Laser heating
- Resistive heating
- Radiation heating
- Direct current heating
Sample size up to 4” wafers, sample temperature up to 1100°C.
Heater stages have up to five degrees of freedom of movement to ensure maximum sample alignment flexibility for RHEED studies. All heating solutions are compatible with high-oxygen-pressure environment.
target handling.
- Target stages handle up to 6 targets and have XYZ manipulation, scanning the target surface with respect to the ablation spot.
- Scanning patterns are controlled by the software, allowing ablation from odd-shaped targets of any size.
- Target scanning instead of spinning ensures the lowest vibrations and lowest outgassing conditions.
wafer scale PLD.
TSST offers PLD system solutions for the growth of high quality materials on larger, wafer scale area of up to 4”.
This unique solution offers all flexibility and growth parameter range similar to “small scale” PLD solution. A perfect tool for investigating growth on larger areas and growing on demonstrator platforms.
pressure and gas handling.
TSST systems have a base pressure below 10⁻⁸ mbar, with true UHV upgrade possibilities. Process pressure is regulated either manually or with automated upstream and downstream control, which combines fast pressure set-point control with vibration-limiting conditions. All systems have high-pressure, post-anneal possibilities.
laser beam delivery.
Key in PLD, with a flexible layout, individual and optimal control and quick adjustability of all necessary laser parameters such as fluence, repetition rate and spot size are ensured, standard in class 1 safety conditions. Full interlock possibilities available.
sputtering, evaporation, ion sources and more.
It is often preferred to combine other deposition techniques with PLD, such as sputtering, evaporation, in combination with ion sources, for the growth of specific material systems and heterostructures. TSST is highly experienced in the integration of these techniques, either combined in one vacuum chamber, or through a separate dedicated chamber in user-friendly cluster geometries.
loadlock for sample and target transfer.
To guarantee high vacuum quality, the system can be equipped with a loadlock for sample and target carousel transfer, with heater and target storage possibilities.
reflective high energy electron diffraction (RHEED).
TSST PLD systems have been optimized for the best RHEED studies.
With high-pressure RHEED (Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction), single monolayer growth can be monitored and controlled in a typical PLD process environment.
PLD systems and components.
Customized design and integration
Systems are adapted and integrated to existing beamlines, characterization tools and cluster setups, compatible with standard sample platforms such as flagstyle sample plates. We are experienced with the integration of other deposition equipment in a PLD system solution, including sputtering, evaporators and ion sources.
Customized cluster setups
One laser, multiple systems, PLD combined with other PVD systems.
