Modeling of plume dynamics in laser ablation processes for thin film deposition of materials

The transport dynamics of laser-ablated neutral/plasma plumes are of significant interest for film growth by pulsed-laser deposition of materials, since the magnitude and kinetic energy of the species arriving at the deposition substrate are key processing parameters. Dynamical calculations of plume propagation in vacuum and in background gas have been performed using particle-in-cell hydrodynamics, continuum gasdynamics, and scattering models. Results from these calculations are presented and compared with experimental observations.