Femtosecond laser crystallization of amorphous titanium oxide thin films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that femtosecond laser pulses can induce crystallization in amorphous titanium oxide thin films, revealing a new method for controlled phase transformation in such materials.

Contribution

It is the first experimental demonstration of femtosecond laser-induced crystallization in amorphous titanium oxide thin films.

Findings

Crystalline rutile phase formed after femtosecond laser processing

Crystallization confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Raman, and electron backscattering

Processing parameters for crystallization are characterized

Abstract

In this paper we demonstrate experimentally that crystalline phases appear in amorphous titanium oxide upon processing with ultrafast laser pulses. Amorphous titanium thin films were produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and exposed to femtosecond laser pulses. Formation of rutile phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Raman measurements and electron backscattering diffraction. A rang of processing parameters for the crystallization is reported and possible background mechanisms are discussed.