Pulsed laser deposition using high-power Nd:YAG laser source operating at its first harmonics: recent approaches and advances

We report on the progress of Pulsed Laser Deposition growth of thin films by using a high-power Nd:YAG laser source. We demonstrate that by using the fundamental wavelength at 1064 nm, the congruent ablation of a large number of materials can be successfully achieved. Even if the infra-red radiation of the fundamental harmonics of Nd:YAG lasers - corresponding to impinging photons with energy of about 1.16 eV - is unexpectedly proved to be also absorbed by insulating materials characterized by a large value of the band-gap (e.g. 3.0 eV for rutile TiO2). Combined investigation of structural properties by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy provides evidence of the very high-quality thin films grown by Nd:YAG lasers with no trace of precipitates and droplets over a scale of tens of micrometers.