Deposition and stoichiometry control of Nd-doped gadolinium gallium garnet thin films by combinatorial pulsed laser deposition using two targets of Nd:Gd3Ga5O12 and Ga2O3

We have demonstrated pulsed laser deposition of Nd-doped gadolinium gallium garnet on Y₃Al₅O₁₂ by the simultaneous ablation of two separate targets of Nd:Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ (GGG) and Ga₂O₃. Such an approach is of interest as a method of achieving stoichiometry control over films whilst the growth parameters are kept constant and optimal for high quality crystal growth. We show here how the stoichiometry and resultant lattice parameter of a film can be controlled by changing the relative deposition rates from the two targets. Films have been grown with enough extra Ga to compensate for the deficiency that commonly occurs when depositing only from a GGG target. We have also grown crystalline GGG films with an enriched Ga concentration, and this unconventional approach to film stoichiometry control may have potential applications in the fabrication of films with advanced compositionally graded structures.