Detection of optical emission from InSb induced by pulsed laser evaporation

Abstract

The results of in situ measurements of the optical emissions which occur during the deposition of InSb films by pulsed laser evaporation are reported. Evaporation was induced by a Q-switched neodymium : yttrium aluminum garnet laser with 90 ns pulse width and powers less than 1.5 mJ per pulse at a wavelength of 1.06 μm impinging on the surface of a rotating single crystal InSb target. At low laser powers, emission lines characteristic of In and Sb species were detected which decayed in 800 ns. At higher laser powers, emissions from excited atoms and/or ions were observed. Surface contamination of the target reduced the power threshold to produce ions.