Laser induced sputtering of insulators

With the technique of laser pulse vapor deposition (LPVD), thin films of dielectric materials, semiconductors, metallic, organic, and high Tc superconducting materials can be produced. Sufficiently high power densities give rise to intense evaporation and ionization processes resulting in a plasma plume and emission of charged and neutral atomic particles and clusters as well as larger droplet-like aggregates. We will discuss the influence of the parameters of this process, as wavelength of laser light, pulse duration and pulse energy and the structure of various target material on the sputtering yield. Changes of the target surface structure during the process will also be considered. (orig.)