Magnetron sputter pulsed laser deposition: technique and process control developments

This paper investigates the use of process control in the deposition of nanocomposite thin-films by the magnetron-sputtering/pulsed laser deposition (MSPLD) method. A series of YSZ/Au films was deposited with closed loop feedback control, based on plume emissions, used to update both the laser and magnetron power settings simultaneously to regulate the plume emissions for extended durations. Intensity measurements of zirconium component of the laser ablation plume were made using a narrow band filter in conjunction with a high-speed photomultiplier tube and a digital phosphorous oscilloscope. Intensity measurements of the magnetron Au plasma were made using a monochromater and a high-speed data acquisition card. Using a computer to capture these two measurements every 5 s, setpoint updates were made to both the laser and magnetron in order to maintain the stoichiometry of the thin-film being deposited. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to verify the composition of these films grown with and without process control. The use of process control resulted in the film composition being constant throughout the depth of the thin-film, as opposed to having a graded composition due to process drift.