Optical emission diagnostics of laser-induced plasma for diamond-like film deposition

Abstract

Optical emission from a laser-induced plasma plume is recorded during KrF excimer laser ablation of graphite in a gas mixture of Ar and H2 (3%) for deposition of diamond-like thin films. At sub-GW/cm2 laser intensities the spectrum is dominated by the bands of C2 and CN. From the band intensities, the vibrational temperatures of both radicals are calculated to be 12–15×103 K, and their concentrations are estimated to be 5×1014 cm−3 and 2×1014 cm−3, respectively.