Ion assisted pulsed laser deposition

Ion bombardment on the surface of a substrate during deposition of a thin film [ion‐assisted (IA) deposition] is used to control thin‐film crystalline orientation and phase. Ion‐assisted deposition is demonstrated with the relatively new pulsed‐laser deposition (PLD) technique, a method of thin‐film growth that has shown promise for the synthesis of high‐temperature superconductor and other complex oxide films. A versatile vacuum chamber with independent control of ion‐gun parameters was developed for ion‐assisted pulsed‐laser deposition (IAPLD). Control of crystalline orientation and alignment of yttria‐stabilized zirconia and CeO₂ layers for use in YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductor devices is demonstrated using this IAPLD technology.