Pulsed laser ablation of Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystals

Abstract

Quasicrystalline Al65–Cu23–Fe12 targets have been ablated by a doubled Nd:YAG laser and deposited on silicon substrates. The results show evidence of distinct ablation mechanisms, which lead to different gas phase composition, as a function of the laser fluence. Films containing the quasicrystalline phase can be deposited only at fluences higher than about 6.5J/cm2 while at lower fluences the aluminium content exceeds the stoichiometric value. The films obtained by laser ablation of quasicrystalline Al65–Cu23–Fe12 were compared with those obtained from the metallic alloy Al70–Cu20–Fe10. The differences between the two systems could be explained on the basis of the low thermal conductivity of the quasicrystalline phase.