Abstract

The deposition rate and deposit resolution in laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) and other laser induced chemical processes at surfaces are a function of a large number of variables including: the laser generated surface temperature profile, the local reactant concentration distribution, the substrate and deposited film characteristics and the reaction kinetics. Most laser generated temperature profile calculations to date nave assumed steady state behavior and/or neglected the nonlinear temperature dependent thermal properties of the substrate. In addition, most theoretical models neglect the changing surface reflectivity as the film is deposited. Equilibrium calculations, while useful for high thermal conductivity materials such as Si and metals, are inadequate for low thermal conductivity materials such as fused quartz where characteristic reaction times are considerably shorter than the time necessary to reach thermal equilibrium.

© 1985 Optical Society of America