Pulsed Laser Deposition A versatile method for the deposition of thin films and
synthesis of nanostructures and nanoparticles
Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a versatile thin film deposition technique. A pulsed laser rapidly evaporates a target material forming a thin film that retains target composition. Theuniqueness of PLD is that the energy source (pulsed laser) is outside the deposition chamber. This facilitates a large dynamic range of operating pressures (10-10 Torr to 100 torr) during material synthesis. By controlling the deposition pressure and temperature, a variety of nanostructures and nanoparticles can be synthesized with unique funcionalities. In addition, PLD is a ‘digital’ technique and provides process control (Å/pulse) at the nano scale