PLD/PED Systems

Neocera PLD Technology

Neocera was founded by Dr. Venkatesan in 1989 as a commercial vehicle for conveying technological expertise in complex multi-component metal-oxide thin film materials using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). Neocera continues to develop PLD equipment and processes that result in products of high value to the customer. Neocera remains active in materials research, leading the application of PLD into new material systems, and participating directly in the transition from PLD processes from the research laboratory to the industrial marketplace. Neocera added Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED) as a complementary technique to PLD in 2001. Our mission is to become researchers’ and manufacturers’ first choice for PLD and PED equipment. Neocera PLD/PED systems can be found in Universities, National Research Laboratories and Corporate R&D Centers in over 30 countries around the world.

Thin Film Deposition Systems

  • Pioneer 120 PLD Systems
  • Pioneer 120-Advanced PLD systems
  • Pioneer 180 PLD Systems
  • Laser MBE Systems
  • Ion-assisted PLD Systems
  • Combinatorial PLD Systems
  • Large-area PLD Systems
  • MAPLE PLD Systems
  • UHV PLD-UHV Sputtering Cluster Modules
  • Pioneer 180 PED Systems
Thin Film Deposition Components

  • Substrate Heaters (Conductive and Radiative)
  • Laser Substrate Heaters
  • Multi-target Carousels
  • Custom-designed Deposition Chambers
  • Laser Window-change accessories
  • Optics packages
  • Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED) Sources

In situ Real-time Process Diagnostics Tools

  • High-Pressure Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED)
  • Low Angle X-ray Spectroscopy (LAXS)
  • Ion Energy Spectroscopy (IES)

Pulsed Laser Deposition

Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a versatile thin film deposition technique. A pulsed laser (~20 ns pulse width) rapidly evaporates a target material forming a thin film that retains target composition. This unique ability of stoichiometeric transfer of target composition into the film was realized first by the research team led by Dr. Venkatesan at Bell Communications Research, NJ, USA, nearly 30 years ago while depositing high temperature superconducting (YBa2Cu3O7) thin films. Since then, PLD has become the preferred deposition technique where ever thin films of complex material compositions are considered. Another unique feature of PLD is its ability for rapid prototyping of materials. The energy source (pulsed laser) being outside the deposition chamber, facilitates a large dynamic range of operating pressures (10-10 Torr to 500 Torr) during material synthesis. By controlling the deposition pressure and substrate temperature and using relatively small target sizes, a variety of atomically controlled nano-structures and interfaces can be prepared with unique functionalities.

Pulsed Electron Deposition

Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED) is a process in which a pulsed (80-100 ns) high power electron beam (~ 1000 A, 15 kV) penetrates approximately 1 µm into the target resulting in a rapid evaporation of target material. The non-equilibrium heating of the target facilitates stoichiometric ablation of the target material. Under optimum conditions, the target stoichiometry is preserved in the deposited films. All solid state materials-metals, semiconductors and insulators, including those transparent to laser wavelengths in PLD can be deposited as thin films with PED. By combining PLD and PED the range of complex materials that can be prepared as thin films can be greatly enhanced.

P180 Laser MBE System with RF sputter and DC Ion source - main imagePLD Systems

Neocera offers a wide variety of PLD Systems. These include Pioneer 120 and Pioneer 180 series PLD Systems, laser MBE Systems, Ion assisted PLD systems, Combinatorial PLD Systems, MAPLE PLD systems and large PLD systems etc.

Pioneer 180 PLD system with a PED source - main imagePED Systems

Neocera Pioneer 120 and Pioneer 180 PED systems create thin films of a variety of complex compositions including those which are laser transparent and difficult for PLD. Ion assisted PED and Combinatorial PED systems are also available.

Radiative heater and power supply and lighted heater mainPLD/PED Components

For researchers building their own systems or upgrading existing systems, Neocera offers several PLD and PED components such as Oxygen compatible substrate heaters, multitarget carousels, custom deposition chambers, PED sources etc.

LAXS spectrometer mainIn Situ Diagnostics

For researchers working on ultra thin films and novel interfaces, Neocera offers insitu, real-time process control and diagnostic tools such as high-pressure RHEED, Low Angle X-ray Spectroscopy (LAXS), Ion Energy Spectroscopy (IES), Laser Interferometry etc.