Ni,Ti, and NiTi laser ablation in vacuum and in water to deposit thin films or to generate nanoparticles in solution

An ns Nd:YAG pulsed laser was used to deposit thin films in a vacuum and to generate nanoparticles in the water of Ni, Ti, and NiTi alloys. Laser ablation was measured in terms of removing mass per laser pulse. The laser-generated plasma in vacuum was characterized in terms of temperature and energy of emitted particles. The ablation in water produces nanoparticles with dimensions of the order of 25 nm and solutions with concentrations of the order of some mg/ml. The NiTi alloy stoichiometry is well reported in the deposited thin film and in the composition of the produced nanoparticles.