Novel materials synthesis using an intense pulsed ion beam

Initial experiments on evaporation from metallic and ceramic targets using a pulsed light ion beam source is reported. The source is an intense ion beam produced by a 1.2 MV, 300 kJ Anaconda generator fitted with an extraction diode. Beam fluences of 10--20 J/cm[sup 2] gives a deposition rate of about 30--50 nm per shot, for both brass and YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7-x] (1-2-3) targets. This is about 1000 times greater than comparable rates from pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Single-shot ablated 1-2-3 films, deposited on Si, were analyzed using RBS; the measured stoichiometry was close to 1-2-3 in favorable cases, but shot-to-shot reproducibility was poor. Approximately 1% of the available ion beam energy was utilized for these initial experiments. The potential for producing large area coatings from multi-cation targets and nanophase powders using pulsed ion beam deposition will be discussed.