Custom Composition Films from Two or more Targets

Both the PLD/MBE 2300 and nanoPLD1000 have multi-target carousels that allow the sequential deposition from different target materials without breaking vacuum. For most films, each nanometer of film requires 40 laser-pulses. Hence it is possible to form a roughly 50-50 film of two materials, A and B, by first depositing 20 pulses from a target of material A followed by 20 pulses from a target of material B. Deposition is continued in alternating 20 pulse lengths from each target until a film of the desired thickness is built up. Because each layer is so thin, there is complete mixing of materials A and B without the need for diffusion. In a similar manner, a roughly 5-95 film of same two materials, A and B, can be deposited by first depositing 2 pulses from target material A followed by 38 pulses from target material B. The software is equipped with a “recipe” option that allows the entire film to be programmed and deposited without operator intervention during the deposition.