Ultrafast-laser powder bed fusion of oxygen-deficient Nb_(2)O_(5) ceramics with highly improved electrical properties

Abstract

In this work, Nb_(2)O_(5) layers with highly improved electrical properties respect to pristine material have been produced by ultrafast-laser powder bed fusion process. The conditions required for producing uniform and compact layers of Nb_(2)O_(5) from powder material have been studied and optimized. It has been established that ultrafast-laser irradiation, performed in air at room temperature, leads to the formation of dense Nb_(2)O_(5) layers with the high temperature monoclinic crystal structure (H- Nb_(2)O_(5)) but oxygen deficient. The layers show a preferential crystal orientation with the short axis of the monoclinic structure lying in the structure plane. This preferential orientation can be controlled by the laser irradiation conditions. Anisotropic resistivity has been observed as a consequence of the induced microstructure, while the overall material resistivity is decreased by more than eight orders of magnitude due to the oxygen deficiency. These results indicate that it is feasible to use ultrafast laser processing to promote hightemperature non-stoichiometric niobium oxide phases in a few seconds and with low energy consumption. The highly improved electrical properties of the laser irradiated Nb_(2)O_(5) layers are extremely interesting for different electronic and sensing applications.