Effect of Laser Fluence on the Properties of Sm<sub>1-X</sub>Nd <sub>X</sub> NiO<sub>3</sub> Thin Films Deposited by KrF Laser Ablation

Abstract

In this contribution we study the effect of the laser fluence on the stoichiometry, morphology and density of Sm1-xNdxNiO3 thin films. The latter were grown by a KrF excimer laser (λ = 248 nm, τ = 25 ns) ablation of a rotating target onto unheated (100) silicon substrates for 9000 pulses at different laser fluences into vacuum. The target used was a mixture of samarium, neodymium and nickel oxides. The relative ratio of neodymium (x = 0.45) is set to have a transition temperature close to room temperature (TMI = 310 K). The target-substrate distance was maintained at 4 cm. The composition and the morphology of the deposited layers were analysed by energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) respectively. It was found that films properties depend strongly on the laser fluence. The EDX measurements revealed that the laser fluence must be higher than 1 Jcm-2 for a congruent evaporation. However, even at this condition, the films were deficiency in oxygen. The morphology study showed that the films surface was widely contaminated by droplets for fluences superior to 2 Jcm-2. Also, it was found that by increasing laser fluence the films density increases and reach a plateau at 1.3 Jcm-2. According to all those elements, the laser fluence was set to be in the range of 1.3 – 2 Jcm-2.