Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

The characteristics of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) thin films deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique have been describrd. The laser used was a Nd:YAG, operating at the wavelength of 355 nm. All films were deposited at room temperature, either in ambient water vapour or in vacuum, and were annealed, after deposition in air, at 600 °C. Next, they were examined with the use of an X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, atomic force microscope, micro scratch tester and scanning electron microscope. The analyses showed that crystalline films exhibiting very strong
adhesion to the substrate have been obtained.

pulsed laser deposition, hydroxyapatite, biomaterials

The plasma plume induced during ArF laser ablation of a graphite target is studied. Velocities of the plasma expansion front are determined by the optical time of flight method. Mass center velocities of the emitting atoms and ions are constant and amount to 1.7×104 and 3.8×104 m s−1, respectively. Higher velocities of ions result probably from their acceleration in electrostatic field created by electron emission prior to ion emission. The emission spectroscopy of the plasma plume is used to determine the electron densities and temperatures at various distances from the target. The electron density is determined from the Stark broadening of the Ca II and Ca I lines. It reaches a maximum of ∼9.5×1023 m−3 30 ns from the beginning of the laser pulse at the distance of 1.2 mm from the target and next decreases to ∼1.2×1022 m−3 at the distance of 7.6 mm from the target. The electron temperature is determined from the ratio of intensities of ionic and atomic lines. Close to the target the electron temperature of ∼30 kK is found but it decreases quickly to 11.5 kK 4 mm from the target.

Plasma plume induced by ArF excimer laser ablation of a hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) target was studied during expansion into a vacuum or water vapour. The ArF laser operated at a wavelength of 193 nm with a pulse energy of 300–350 mJ and a 20 ns pulse duration. The emission spectra of the plasma plume were registered with the use of a spectrograph and an ICCD camera. The expansion of the plasma plume was studied using the time of flight method. The time-dependent radiation of the Ca I and Ca II lines was registered with the use of a monochromator and photomultiplier at various distances from the target. The dynamics of the plasma plume was also imaged by means of fast photography. It was found that during expansion into a vacuum, the plasma front moved with a constant velocity of 1.75x10^4 m/s, while in thecase of ambient water vapour at a pressure of 20 Pa, velocities of 1.75x10^4–1.5x10^3 m/s were found depending on the distance from the target. Electron densities of 1.2x10^24–4.5x10^21 1/m3 were determined from the Stark broadening of the Ca II and Ca I lines at distances of 1–25 mm from the target.
Temperatures of 11,500–4500 K were determined from the relative intensities of carbon lines and continuum radiation at distances of 4–29 mm from the target. The results allowed the estimation of thermal and kinetic energies of ablated particles. During expansion into a vacuum, the kinetic energies of Ca, P and O atoms were 64, 49 and 25 eV, respectively. During expansion into water vapour, kinetic energies dropped to 0.47, 0.36 and 0.19 eV, respectively at a distance of 25 mm from the target and were comparable to the energies of thermal motion.

Laser ablation, Hydroxyapatite, Plasma plume