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Pulsed‐laser deposition (PLD) of lead‐zirconate‐titanate [Pb(Zrx,Ti1−x)O3] (PZT) thin films under low ambient pressure has been investigated by studying the angular deposition distributions of the constituent elements of the films. Nonstoichiometric profiles are observed and a dip occurs near the target surface normal of the deposition profile of lead. Experimental results show that intrinsic resputtering of the film is important in the PLD process and is responsible for the anomalous distribution of lead.

YBa2Cu3O7 target was laser ablated, and the time‐of‐flight (TOF) distributions of Y, Y+, and YO in the resultant plasma were investigated as functions of distance from the target and laser energy density using emission spectroscopy. Up to a short distance from the target (≂1.5 cm), TOF distributions show twin peaks for Y and YO, while only single‐peak distribution is observed for Y+. At greater distances (≳1.5 cm) all of them exhibit single‐peak distribution. The twin peaks are assigned to species corresponding to those generated directly/in the vicinity of target surface and to those generated from collisional/recombination process.

The sputtering of polymer films with 248 or 308 nm laser pulses causes two groups of particles to be emitted. Light particles are emitted more rapidly and escape to form a shock wave. Heavy particles are emitted more slowly and under some conditions are impeded by the light ones, expand sideways, and leave debris on the target surface. Debris formation can be understood from ordinary gas dynamics where it is equivalent to recondensation beyond the bombarded spot. This is shown by numerical solution of the flow equations.

Measurements are presented of absolute sputtering coefficients S for polycrystalline Au bombarded by 45‐keV ions with Zion ranging from 2 to 79. Low‐fluence results taken with chemically etched Au surfaces represent the first complete set of S values taken under the nearly ideal sputtering conditions of vanishingly small ion fluence and undamaged target surface. The results confirm unambiguously the smooth monotonic increase in S with Zion as predicted by sputtering theory. High‐fluence results are also obtained which are representative of implanted‐target surface conditions. These results exhibit the periodic variation of S with Zion as seen in past sputtering investigations.