English

Scientists have developed a palm sized femtosecond laser using a glass substrate

927
2023-10-04 14:11:49
See translation

Researchers at the Federal College of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) have shown that femtosecond lasers suitable for palm size can be manufactured using glass substrates.

Can femtosecond lasers made entirely of glass become a reality? This interesting question prompted Yves Bellouard, the head of the Galata laboratory at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, to embark on a journey after years of arduous laboratory experiments to calibrate femtosecond lasers.


The Galata laboratory is located at the intersection of optical, mechanical, and material sciences, and considers femtosecond lasers as a key component of Bellouard's research.

Femtosecond lasers generate extremely short and consistent laser pulses, which can be used for various applications, such as laser ophthalmic surgery, nonlinear microscopy, spectroscopy, laser material processing, and more recently, sustainable data storage.
Typically, commercial femtosecond lasers are constructed by assembling optical components and their mounting bases onto a substrate (usually an optical bread board), requiring detailed optical alignment.

Bellouard and his team have designed a solution that involves using commercial femtosecond lasers to manufacture compact femtosecond lasers made of glass, with sizes no larger than standard credit cards, significantly reducing alignment challenges. Their work results have been recorded in the magazine "Optica".
Researchers use commercial femtosecond lasers to carve complex channels on glass, enabling precise placement of key components required for laser systems.
Although micrometer level accuracy has been achieved during the manufacturing process, only the grooves and components cannot achieve the alignment required for laser quality performance. Simply put, the mirror is not fully aligned, resulting in its glass device being unable to function as a laser at this stage.

Based on previous research, scientists have also realized that they can locally manipulate the expansion or contraction of glass. They decided to use this technology to fine tune the alignment of the mirror.

Therefore, the initial etching process was specifically designed to incorporate a mirror into the groove content equipped with micro mechanical bending. These bending designs are used to adjust the position of the mirror when exposed to femtosecond lasers.

This innovative method transforms commercial femtosecond lasers into tools for a second purpose: aligning mirrors. Ultimately, this process resulted in a stable small femtosecond laser.

The ongoing research project at Galata Laboratory will delve into the application of this technology in the field of assembling quantum optical systems. This exploration aims to break through the limits currently achievable in miniaturization and precise alignment.
At present, the alignment process is still under the supervision of manual operators, and after practice, it may take several hours to complete. Despite its small size, this type of laser can generate a peak power of approximately 1 kilowatt and emit pulses with a duration of less than 200 femtoseconds - a duration almost insufficient to allow light to pass through human hair.

Innovative femtosecond laser technology will be spun off to form a new company called Cassio-P, led by Antoine Delgoffe.

Source: Laser Network

Related Recommendations
  • Application and Effect of Laser Cleaning

    Mold cleaning: Mold plays a very important role in industrial production. Currently, there are over a thousand mold related enterprises in China, driving the related output value to nearly 10 billion yuan. Among them, mold cleaning is an essential step in mold production. Laser can achieve contactless cleaning of molds, which is very safe for the surface of the mold, ensuring its accuracy, and can...

    2023-10-14
    See translation
  • Photonic time crystals triggered by laser pulses may open the door to a new branch of optics

    When scientists discovered that laser pulses can rapidly cause refractive index changes in the medium, resulting in "photonic time crystals (PTC)" in the near-visible light band, the door to a disruptive new application in optics seemed to quietly open.Scientists have a certain degree of understanding of photonic crystals and time crystals, the two have almost nothing in common, the basic common p...

    2023-09-07
    See translation
  • Scientists at St. Andrews University have made significant breakthroughs in compact laser research

    Scientists at St. Andrews University have made significant breakthroughs in compact laser research after decades of hard work.Laser is widely used in fields such as communication, medicine, measurement, manufacturing, and measurement around the world. They are used to transmit information on the internet, for medical purposes, and even in facial scanners on mobile phones. Most of these lasers are...

    2023-10-04
    See translation
  • Ruifeng constant green laser: With dense and concentrated characteristics, it can accurately cut on PCBs and FPCs

    In the vigorous development of contemporary technology, green laser has become a shining star in the field of electronics. Not only because of its excellent performance, but also because it brings infinite imagination and creative inspiration to creators. The use of green laser for PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) shape cutting has opened up a new artistic journ...

    2023-09-19
    See translation
  • Munich Shanghai Light Expo and Light Academic Publishing Center further strengthen cooperation

    In November 2024, based on the mutual trust and cooperation over the past years, the Munich Shanghai Optical Expo and the Light Academic Publishing Center of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Precision Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the "Light Center") reached a consensus on further strategic development as they ushered in the year of disruptive sci...

    2024-12-05
    See translation