Film deposition and synthesis of organic compounds by laser ablation

Film deposition and synthesis of organic compounds by laser ablation 

Thin films with special chemical and physical properties can be deposited on a substrate upon irradiating a target material located in a closed system in the neighborhood of the substrate with a laser beam [60, 61]. A schematic depiction of such a set-up with a target-substrate distance of 20 mm is shown in Fig. 9.8. Besides silicon wafers, appropriate substrate materials include ZnSe, KBr, and quartz. 

Chart 9.9 Chemical structures of poly(dimethylsilane), left, and hexaphenyidisilane, right. 

10-Perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride, PTCDA, has been used as a target material for the generation of films consisting essentially of polyperi-naphthalene (see Chart 9.10) [62, 69]. Films annealed at 350 °C immediately after deposition possessed an electrical conductivity of 10 S cm .  

Proteins such as collagen (see Chart 9.11), keratin, and fibroin have also been successfully employed as target polymers in the generation of films [70]. The primary structure of the target protein is retained in the deposited film, as was inferred from IR spectroscopic analysis. Interestingly, relevant research led to the application of lasers for medical purposes. Nowadays, excimer laser beams are frequently employed by ophthalmologists for the purpose of keratectomy, i.e. 

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