UHV PLD (Laser MBE)

The PLD 500 is an advanced UHV pulsed laser deposition system for epitaxial growth of oxide materials. The system is available in two configurations – target face up or down.  Substrates, Targets or Masks (option) are loaded via the same loadlock or transfer configuration to make loading both efficient and secure.

To minimise both target costs and downtime, the PLD 500 incorporates a proprietary dual-axis oscillating Target Manipulator (TM).  During deposition the target is continuously rotated and simultaneously rocked back and forth. The target rotation and back and forth scanning is programmed in such a way that each area of the target receives the same amount of laser pulses (scan speed slower at the target edges). This guarantees uniform target erosion.

The TM has a water cooled target shield to protect the targets during high temperature substrate annealing.  Whilst a removeable aperture is mounted as standard to improve film uniformity by collimating the laser plume and removing macroscopic globules of molten material, which may be present in the outer corona of the plume.

The laser beam is typically held in a fixed position to keep the laser spot size unchanged during deposition. But, for experiments requiring a variation in laser spot position, 50mm vertical adjustment is possible as standard.  The substrate is heated either using a 1″/25 mm oxygen resistant SiC (1000°C) heater or with a high power diode laser for 10 x 10 mm substrates.

Features:

• 6 x 1″ motorized target holder with target indexing, rotation and scanning
• Fixed laser position to maintain laser focus
• Oxygen resistant heater up to 1000°C or Laser Heating Stage
• Target, Sample and Mask exchange through same load lock chamber
• High pressure >50 keV RHEED
• Plume diagnostic ports

The PLD 500 can be integrated into with any DCA cluster deposition system.