Improved methods for design of PLD and combinatorial PLD films

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a powerful technique for prototyping thin film materials, both single component (single composition) films and with varying composition (e.g., lateral continuous compositional spread, CCS). In this work, we improve one of the simulation methods used to design PLD films: We extend mathematical model material spread on substrate, T1(x,y), each pulse hitting target, use more accurate method determine T1(x,y) experimentally. The substrate simulated by repetitively adding from or targets, at selected location substrate. Using new model, high agreement between grown films’ thickness across was obtained. basis variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry carefully measuring 794 locations 50.8 mm (2 in.) diameter substrates. Factors, such as variation in optical properties porosity plume/calibration films, were considered determination thicknesses. As test cases, deposited component) TiO2 (CCS) doped Cr N, Si wafers. modeling simulations are implemented an open-source Python library, pyPLD.