An experimental investigation of nanostructured, micrometer-thick, tungsten films deposited
by pulsed laser deposition is presented. The films are compact and pore-free, with crystal
grain sizes ranging from 14 nm to less than 2 nm. It is shown how, by properly tailoring
deposition rate and kinetic energy of ablated species, it is possible to achieve a detailed and
separate control of both film morphology and structure. The role of the main process
parameters, He background pressure, laser fluence, and energy, is elucidated. In contrast …