Pulsed laser ablation of Al±Cu±Fe quasicrystals

Quasicrystalline Al65±Cu23±Fe12 targets have been ablated by a doubled Nd:YAG laser and deposited on silicon substrates. The results show evidence of distinct ablation mechanisms, which lead to different gas phase composition, as a function of the laser ¯uence. Films containing the quasicrystalline phase can be deposited only at ¯uences higher than about 6.5 J/cm2 while at lower ¯uences the aluminium content exceeds the stoichiometric value. The ®lms obtained by laser ablation of quasicrystalline Al65±Cu23±Fe12 were compared with those obtained from the metallic alloy Al70±Cu20±Fe10. The differences between the two systems could be explained on the basis of the low thermal conductivity of the quasicrystalline phase. # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved