Plume characterization in pulsed laser deposition of metal oxide thin films

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is extensively exploited for the growth of metal oxide thin films thanks to its apparent easiness in obtaining high-quality films with complex stoichiometry. PLD of complex oxides is generally carried out in a background gas environment. This, in turn, generally affects the characteristics of the precursor species being deposited and the optimal growth conditions. Here we illustrate and discuss the propagation dynamics into a background gas environment of the plume species produced during PLD of complex oxides. The experimental observations will be rationalized in the frame of simple modeling approaches retaining the main physical aspects of the processes involved.