SPATIALLY-RESOLVED DENSIFICATION OF SOLUTION DEPOSITED ZIRCONIUM DIOXIDE FILMS BY LASER IRRADIATION

CW laser irradiation of glassy oxide films deposited from aqueous precursor solutions leads to localized densification within the laser footprint rendering that segment of the film water insoluble. Subsequent washing followed by thermal annealing transforms the densified region that remains into a fine grain polycrystalline material. Atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry are used to characterize the surface morphology and optical constants of the film during processing while laser- induced fluorescence from a rare earth dopant (Sm3+) intentionally introduced into the film provides a rapid in situ means of characterizing the evolving crystalline phase and phase purity. Spatially resolved regions of tetragonal ZrO2, 40 nm thick and 2 mu m wide, which have been doped with Sm3+ have been imprinted onto Si(100) substrates. The physical characteristics and morphology of the imprinted regions are compared with similar solution-deposited films which were subjected to thermal annealing alone.