Abstract
The continuous effort for transitioning pulsed laser deposition technique from an experimental tool into an industrial one is sustained by the use of complex technologies for in situ real-time monitoring of the deposition process. Floating Langmuir Probe (LP) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements were used for plasma monitoring during the pulsed laser deposition of Ag films under various Ar pressure conditions. The electrical measurements revealed a complex multi-structured distribution of the ions, which was strongly influenced by the increase of Ar pressure. The generation of highly energetic ions with the addition of Ar and the degree of Ar gas ionization was also explored. OES measurements confirmed the presence of highly ionized Ar species in the plasma. A peculiar effect was seen under pressures higher than 10 Pa, where the presence of high electronic charges lead to a perturbative behavior of plasma in the vicinity of the LP. The effect of these complex dynamics on the structure and quality of the deposited thin film was also investigated revealing a strong correlation between the electronic distribution in plasma and thin film thickness profile.