Synthesis of tungsten carbide thin films by reactive pulsed laser deposition

We performed reactive pulsed laser deposition of tungsten carbide thin films by multipulse UV laser ablation of W targets in low pressure (5 X 10(-3)-1 Pa) CH4. The films were deposited onto Si wafers or glass substrates placed parallel with the target at a separation distance of 70 mm. The thin films were uniform and adherent to the substrate even though the deposition was conducted with collectors at room temperature. We reached deposition rates in the region of 0.15 Angstrom pulse(-1).