Micrometric rods grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition of boron carbide

Micrometric size rods have been fabricated via pulsed laser deposition in vacuum from boron carbide targets using nanosecond pulses of 1064 and 266 nm and room temperature Si (1 0 0) substrates. Morphological, structural and chemical characterization of the microrods was made by applying scanning electron microscopy, focussed ion beam microscopy coupled to secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Ablation at 1064 nm favours the formation of microrods with high aspect ratio, sharp edges and pyramidal tips, typically 10 μm long with a cross section of around 2 μm × 2 μm. Differently, at 266 nm the microrods are of smaller size and present a more globular aspect. The analyses of the microrods provide information about their crystalline nature and composition, based on a mixture which includes boron, boron oxide and boron carbide, and allows discussion of the wavelength dependent growth mechanisms involved.