The role of the pressure in pulsed laser deposition of bioactive glass films

Effects of the Ar pressure on the morphology, structure, bonding configuration and deposition rate of the bioglass thin films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and crystal lattice monitor. Ar pressure has an influence on the quantity and shapes of the particles generated in the PLD process. The target bonding configuration is not correctly transferred to the films. This effect is attributed to the network rearrangement during the film growth, which is associated to special structure of glass and complex physical mechanisms of PLD. Deposition rate decreases as the pressure increases following a linear dependence.