Excimer laser ablation of high-temperature superconductors.

Abstract

A spectroscopic study was carried out of the XeC1 eximer laser ablation of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Y-Ba-Cu-O high-temperature superconductors. We investigated the emissions of the ablated products from Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Y-Ba-Cu-O bulk samples irradiated with excimer laser as a function of laser energy density and partial pressures of oxygen and argon, because the emission provide information on the ablated species and on the ablation as a film deposition source. Emission intensities were found to depend strongly on the laser energy density. In the ablation of the Y-Ba-Cu-O bulk sample under both the oxygen and argon atmospheres, we observed the emissions from excited YO molecules, intensities of which were enhanced under the oxygen atmosphere. These results suggest that YO malecules are produced within the target by ablation and are partly created by oxidation of yttrium atoms in the near-surface region of a plasma plume.