Reactive deposition of laser ablated FeS1−x particles on a copper surface

Abstract

Pulsed IR laser ablation of ferrous sulfide (FeS) in a vacuum has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. This allows the analysis of the surface morphology and composition of the irradiated target and also of the coats deposited on unheated Ta, silica and Cu substrates. It is observed that a noncongruent ablation of FeS results in the deposition of nanosized FeS-containing FeS_1−x amorphous coats on the silica and tantalum, and in the deposition of crystalline copper sulfide-containing amorphous Cu₂S phases on copper. The detected amorphous Cu₂S phase, crystalline and nanocrystalline chalcocite Cu₂S, bornite Cu₅FeS₄, digenite Cu₉S₅ and blaubleibend covellite are formed through the reactive deposition of FeS_1−x particles on the topmost Cu layers. This finding is the first example of the reactive deposition of laser ablated inorganic compounds on unheated surfaces and may spur more interest in using this simple process with various inorganic compounds to achieve reactive modifications of other materials.