Precision laser ablation of dielectrics in the 10-fs regime

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 369 - 371
• Main Authors: LENZNER, M, KRÜGER, J, KAUTEK, W, KRAUSZ, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.03.1999
• Subjects: Borosilicate glass; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Dielectric breakdown and space-charge effects; Dielectric properties of solids and liquids; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Exact sciences and technology; Fused silica; Glasses (including metallic glasses); Laser ablation; Laser pulses; Materials science; Micromachining; Morphology; Physics; Pulsed laser applications; Specific materials; Surface roughness; Ultrafast phenomena; Inorganic compounds; Electric breakdown; Laser pulse; Dielectric materials; Silicon oxides; Micromachining; fs range; Laser ablation technique; Experimental study; Borosilicate glass
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s003390050906

Laser pulses in the 10-fs domain provide a quality of micromachining of fused silica and borosilicate glass that is unobtainable with longer pulses in the range of several 100 femtoseconds up to picoseconds. The shortening of the pulses reduces the statistical behavior of the material removal and the ablation process thus attains a more deterministic and reproducible character. The improved reproducibility of ablation is accompanied by significantly smoother morphology. This offers the potential for lateral and vertical machining precision of the order of 100 nm and 10 nm, respectively.