The influence of substrate temperature and deposition pressure on pulsed laser deposited thin films of CaS:Eu2+ phosphors

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of substrate temperature and argon deposition pressure on the structure, morphology and photoluminescence emission (PL) properties of pulsed laser deposited thin films of CaS:Eu2+. The PL intensity improved significantly upon reaching substrate temperature of 650 °C. The (200) peak gradually became the preferred orientation. The increase in PL intensity as well as surface roughness is attributed to improved crystallinity and higher growth rates, respectively. The best PL intensity as a function of deposition pressure was obtained at an argon pressure of 80 mTorr. The initial increase and eventual drop in PL intensity as deposition pressure increases is ascribed to the changes in growth rates.