Nanosecond laser ablation of composite thin films in liquid

We present a study on nanosecond laser ablation of thin composite films immersed in liquids. The composite films are obtained using a classical on-axis pulsed laser deposition technology, where the target consists of two sectors with different composition. Multicomponent films containing ZnO, TiO₂, and Ag, are thus deposited on a substrate. The as-prepared composite films are then immersed in double distiled water and irradiated by nanosecond laser pulses. This results in the production of colloids composed by multicomponent nanoparticles. The optical properties of the colloids are evaluated by optical transmittance measurements in the UV-VIS spectral range. Transmission electron microscopy is used to visualize the nanostructures formed in the solution, as well as to evaluate their size distribution. The phase composition of the samples is determined by selected area electron diffraction.