Low-energy low-divergence pulsed indium atomic beam by laser ablation

This paper reports the formation of low-energy low-divergence pulsed indium atomic beam via ablation of thin film by illumination from the rear side with second harmonic of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser under high vacuum (∼10 −5 Torr). Angular divergence of ablated indium atomic, reflectivity modulation of thin film due to ablation, and longitudinal atomic velocity of ablated beam were studied as a function of laser fluence. Atomic force microscope scans of the deposited multiple shots of pulsed atomic beams show the formation of “nano-hills.”