Comparison of 193nm and 308nm laser liquid printing by shadowgraphy imaging

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 278; pp. 180 - 184
• Main Authors: Palla-Papavlu, A., Shaw-Stewart, J., Mattle, T., Dinca, V., Lippert, T., Wokaun, A., Dinescu, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2013
• Subjects: LIFT; Liquid; Shadowgraphy; Triazene polymer; LIFT; Liquid; Triazene polymer; Shadowgraphy
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.03.036

•Investigation of the dynamics of liquid phase LIFT by using an intermediate photosensitive triazene polymer layer.•The reflected shock wave interacts with the liquid during transfer, which results only in ill defined droplets.•In the case of 193nm irradiation faster liquid fronts and different shapes are noticed than for 308nm irradiation. Over the last years laser-induced forward transfer has emerged as a versatile and powerful tool for engineering surfaces with active compounds. Soft, easily damageable materials can be transferred using a triazene polymer as a sacrificial layer which acts as a pressure generator and at the same time protects the material from direct laser irradiation. To understand and optimize the transfer process of biomolecules in liquid solution by using an intermediate triazene polymer photosensitive layer, shadowgraphy imaging is carried out. Two laser systems i.e. an ArF laser operating at 193nm and a XeCl laser operating at 308nm are applied for the transfer. Solutions with 50% v/v glycerol concentration are prepared and the influence of the triazene polymer sacrificial layer thickness (60nm) on the deposits is studied. The shadowgraphy images reveal a pronounced difference between laser-induced forward transfer using 193nm or 308nm, i.e. very different shapes of the ejected liquid.