ABLATION OF HYDROXYAPATITE BY PULSED LASER IRRADIATION

We have undertaken a series of structure observations of hydroxyapatite (HA) films obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using a pulsed ruby laser as well as of "in situ" mass spectrometry measurements, in order to elucidate the mechanism of target ablation and film deposition. In the present paper we report Rutherford backscattering analysis (RBS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of HA films. Moreover, through the analysis of the angular distribution of the film thickness and the quadrupole mass analysis obtained during the irradiation, we also give evidence of two different mechanisms leading to material removal from the irradiated target.