Patent ID: 8609205

Claim:
A method for depositing nanoparticles of crystalline TiO 2 or nanocomposite films of crystalline TiO 2 , comprising: providing a target comprised of a titanium-containing material; providing a substrate to support the deposited nanoparticles of crystalline TiO 2 or films of crystalline TiO 2 ; ablating regions of said target with ultrafast laser pulses, wherein an ultrafast pulse width is in the range of about 10 fs to 100 ps, and a fluence of an ultrafast pulse at a surface of said target is in the range of about 0.01 J/cm 2 to 2 J/cm 2 , to create a plume of particles directed toward said substrate, and depositing said nanoparticles of crystalline TiO 2 or nanocomposite films of crystalline TiO 2 onto said substrate, wherein said depositing step is performed in the absence of substrate heating, at approximately room temperature, and at a background pressure of about 100 Pa or less, wherein, at said room temperature and at said background pressure of about 100 Pa or less, said method can produce functional nanoparticles or functional nanocomposite films of crystalline TiO 2 which exhibit a thermally stable rutile phase subsequent to deposition at said temperature and said background pressure.