Structure-dependent lined up cone formations on pulsed laser ablated CdWO4(010) single crystal: evidence of thermal quenching by surface defects for ablated particles

Cones were formed with lined up in three different directions on CdWO4(010) surface after pulsed laser ablation at 266 nm. One of the directions was along the μm-sized step structure on the surface. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) data showed many surface defects on the fresh surface. These structure-dependent lined up cone formations can be well analyzed on the basis of CdWO4(010) surface structure in atomic scale. No cone formation was observed on a high purity and mechanically polished CdWO4(010) single crystal with less surface defects. Time-of-flight mass spectroscopic data of the laser ablation on CdWO4(010) with surface defects can be interpreted by the thermal quenching process responsible for cone formations on the surface.