Aluminum film microdeposition at 775 nm by femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer

Micro-deposit ion of an aluminum film of 500-nm thickness on a quartz substrate was demonstrated by laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) using a femtosecond laser pulse. With the help of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the dependence of the morphology of deposited aluminum film on the irradiated laser pulse energy was investigated. As the laser fluence was slightly above the threshold fluence, the higher pressure of plasma for the thicker film made the free surface of solid phase burst out, which resulted in that not only the solid material was sputtered but also the deposited film in the liquid state was made irregularly.