Polski

Researchers have discovered a new method to improve the resolution of laser processing

818
2024-03-28 13:52:54
Zobacz tłumaczenie

Customized laser beams focused through transparent glass can generate a small dot inside the material. Researchers from Northeastern University have reported a method of using this small spot to improve laser material processing and increase processing resolution.


Their research results are published in the journal Optics Letters.

Laser processing, like drilling and cutting, is crucial in industries such as automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals. The pulse width of an ultra short pulse laser source ranges from picoseconds to femtoseconds, and can be accurately processed in the range of micrometers to tens of micrometers. But recent progress requires smaller scales, below 100 nanometers, which is difficult to achieve with existing methods.

Researchers focus on laser beams with radial polarization, known as vector beams. The beam generates a longitudinal electric field at the focal point, resulting in a smaller spot than traditional beams.

Scientists have determined that this process has great potential in laser processing. However, one drawback is that due to the light refraction at the air material interface, the field weakens inside the material, thereby limiting its use.

"We overcame this by using oil immersion lenses to laser process glass substrates," exclaimed Yuichi Kozawa, Associate Professor at the Institute of Advanced Materials Multidisciplinary Research at Northeastern University and co-author of the paper. "Because the refractive indices of oil immersed and glass are almost the same, the light passing through them will not bend."

Further research on the behavior of radially polarized beams under circular focusing indicates that the longitudinal field is greatly enhanced. This enhancement is due to total reflection occurring at high convergence angles on the back between glass and air. By using a circularly polarized beam of light, Kozawa and his colleagues created a small focal point.

From there, they applied this method to processing glass surfaces with ultra short pulse laser beams. A single shot of the converted pulse on the back of the glass substrate will produce a hole with a diameter of 67 nanometers, approximately 1/16 of the wavelength of the laser beam.

"This breakthrough makes it possible to use enhanced longitudinal electric fields for direct material processing with higher accuracy," Kozawa added. "It provides a simple method to achieve processing scales below 100 nanometers and opens up new possibilities for laser nanoprocessing in various industries and scientific fields."

Source: Laser Net

Powiązane rekomendacje
  • Scientists have developed a solar cell that can bend and soak in water

    Researchers and their partners at the RIEKN Creative Physical Science Research Center have created a flexible and waterproof organic photovoltaic film. This innovative thin film can integrate solar cells into clothing, maintaining functionality even in rainwater or washing cycles.One of the potential uses of organic photovoltaic technology is to manufacture wearable electronic devices that can be ...

    2024-05-08
    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • The Welding Application of Fiber Laser in the Food and Beverage Industry

    As is well known, food and beverage product manufacturers have strict requirements in ensuring the hygiene and cleanliness of their equipment. Once these devices and components are designed or manufactured improperly, they are likely to cause pollution, ultimately leading to health hazards, brand reputation damage, and expensive recall actions. The shortage of labor and raw materials further exace...

    2023-10-19
    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • Reshaping the Sky: Laser Scanning Drones Innovate Data Collection

    Imagine soaring above the Earth, the world unfolds in patterns and reliefs, and the terrain whispers its secrets in the wind. Now imagine capturing these whispers and translating them into a digital language to draw our world map with unprecedented accuracy. Welcome to the forefront of laser scanning drones, a technological ballet in the sky where the fusion of flight and laser precision is reshap...

    2024-04-07
    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • The University of Illinois combines the light emitted by multiple VCSEL into a single coherent mode

    Today, VCSELs (vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers) are used in everything from computer mice to face-scanning hardware in smart phones. They are renowned for their ability to integrate seamlessly into semiconductor chips, VCSELs are still considered to be an active field of research, and many researchers believe there are still important applications waiting to be discovered.The laboratory of...

    08-04
    Zobacz tłumaczenie
  • Shanghai Microsystems Institute has developed a high-speed photon detector with distinguishable photon numbers

    Recently, Li Hao and You Lixing's team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology developed an ultrahigh speed, photon number resolvable optical quantum detector with a maximum count rate of 5GHz and a photon number resolution of 61 by using the sandwich structure superconducting nanowires and multi wires working in parallel. The related rese...

    2024-07-12
    Zobacz tłumaczenie