This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will focus on the preparation and characterization of tribological layers for advanced application environments. Sub-picosecond-derived films will be evaluated as a function of the essential PLD processing parameters; the films derived via sub-psec ablation will also compared to films deposited by conventional nsec ablation. The proposed program will focus on pulsed laser deposition (PLD), a comparatively new processing method by which a variety of novel and complex materials systems may be prepared. Research in Germany has recently demonstrated that PLD carried out with sub-picosecond excimer laser pulses allow the deposition of thin films that possess superior properties to those obtained using conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or nanosecond pulsed laser deposition methods. These properties include improved film smoothness, substrate adhesion, and a large degree of epitaxial orientation in the ablatively-deposited films. At present, there are no laboratories in the United States capable of producing films using sub-psec PLD methods. A program of experimental investigations, leading to the first femtosecond pulsed laser deposition facility in the United States, is proposed. The proposer has the necessary equipment to assemble the femtosecond pulsed laser necessary to do the advanced deposition. The enhancing of capabilities is brought about using several techniques including chemical vapor deposition sputtering, activated reactive evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy, solution synthetic approaches, and PLD. The femtosecond pulsed laser deposition proposed would have application to hardened drill bits, diamond blades, bearings, panels and optics and other components that are enhanced to withstand high heat, high friction and corrosion and will provide results superior to the traditional techniques. This award is supported by the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
