Pulsed ultraviolet laser deposition of SiO₂ films at 248 nm

Photochemical laser-induced deposition of silicon dioxide thin films is reported with excimer laser radiation at 248 nm. A deposition rate of 0.25 A/pulse was obtained at room temperature. The deposited films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry and optical microscopy. The films exhibited excellent properties (n=1.47, k=0.05) derived from ellipsometry data. The deposition required no oxidizing coreactant.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.