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Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (25)
Ultra-short pulse laser seeding techniques for silicon crystallite growth on amorphous substrates
(1999)
Structuring of dielectric and metallic materials with ultrashort laser pulses between 20 fs and 3 ps
(1997)
Laser-micromachining of barium aluminum borosilicate glass, fused silica and stainless steel has been extended down to a pulse duration of 20 fs generated by a Ti:sapphire laser system at a wavelength of 0.8 micrometer. A systematic study shows that, below 100 fs, an enhanced precision and a substantial decrease of the ablation threshold fluence in comparison to pulse laser processing with pulses in the picosecond and nanosecond range could be achieved. The physical mechanism and the technical relevance of this novel microtechnology is discussed.
Femtosecond pulse laser ablation of metallic, semiconducting, ceramic, and biological materials
(1994)
Production of holes and grooves of < 30 micrometers diameter with high aspect ratio value is a delicate task either for mechanical tools, or for conventional nanosecond pulse lasers like e.g. pulsed Nd:YAG or excimer lasers. They later tend to cause microcracks extending from an annular melting zone, or substantial disruption, respectively. Experimental results are presented which demonstrate that the development of intense ultrashort pulse laser systems (>> 1012 W cm-2, (tau) < 1 ps) opens up possibilities for materials processing by cold plasma generation and ablation of metals, semiconductors, ceramics, composites, and biological materials. A femtosecond and a nanosecond dye laser with pulse durations of 300 fs (< 200 (mu) J) and 7 ns (< 10 mJ), and center wavelengths at 612 and 600 nm, respectively, both focused on an area of the order of 10-5 cm2, have been applied either to absorbing substrates, like polycrystalline gold, silicon (111), aluminum nitride ceramics, or transparent materials, like synthetic and human dental hydroxyapatite composites, bone material, and human cornea transplants. The fs-laser generates its own absorption in transparent materials by a multiphoton absorption process, and thus forces the absorption of visible radiation. Because the time is too short (< ps) for significant transport of mass and energy, the beam interaction generally results in the formation of a thin plasma layer of approximately solid state density. Only after the end of the subpicosecond laser pulse, it expands rapidly away from the surface without any light absorption and further plasma heating. Therefore, energy transfer (heat and impulse) to the target material, and thermal and mechanical disruption are minimized. In contrast to heat- affected zones (HAZ's) generated by conventional nanosecond pulse lasers of the order of 1 - 10 micrometers , HAZ's of less than 0.02 micrometers were observed.
Subpicosecond Emission from Mercury and Silver into Electrolyte Solution: An Experimental Study
(1997)
In situ optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) on centrosymmetric crystalline semiconductor electrodes opens up a new field of in situ investigations of hurried solid state interfaces and metal front contacts relevant to electronic and photovoltaic devices, which are rarely accessible by other methods. Photoelectrochemical nanosecond- and femtosecond-pulse laser investigations of silicon (111) electrodes show that in situ SHG is feasible in such complex interfacial systems. In a p-p polarization configuration, the azimuthal dependence of the SHG from oxide-covered and bare n-Si (111) electrodes, with and without Ni contact deposits, have been studied. Etching and regrowth of silicon oxides as well as burried interfacial electric field distributions were monitored. In situ SHG is shown to be extremely sensitive to trapped interfacial charge, crystal misorientations and surface step arrays. An advantage of femtosecond-pulses is the fact that illumination fluences that are well below the damage threshold, but still with sufficient power density, can be applied. (Author)
A femtosecond pulse laser in the visible spectral region shows promise as a potentially new powerful corneal sculpting tool. It combines the clinical and technical advantages of visible wavelengths with the high ablation quality observed with nanosecond-pulse excimer lasers at 193 nm. A femtosecond and a nanosecond dye laser with pulse durations of 300 fs and 7 ns, and centre wavelengths at 615 nm and 600 nm, respectively, both focused to an area of the order of 105 cm2, have been applied to human corneal ablation. Nanosecond laser pulses caused substantial tissue disruption within a 30100 m range from the excision edge at all fluences above the ablation threshold of F th60 J cm2 (I th9 GW cm2). Completely different excisions are produced by the femtosecond-pulse laser: high quality ablations of the Bowman membrane and the stroma tissue characterised by damage zones of less than 0.5 m were observed at all fluences above ablation threshold of F th1 J cm2 or I th3 TW cm2 (3×1012 W cm2). The transparent cornea material can be forced to absorb ultrashort pulses of extremely high intensity. The fs laser generates its own absorption by a multiphoton absorption process.
In situ second harmonic generation measurements during the electrodeposition of Ni on n-Si(111)
(1993)
In this paper, safety-related experiments with ultra-short laser pulses (down to 30 fs) on various components
(goggles, curtains) for laser protection are presented. The damage and failure behaviour of
protective devices has been investigated dependent on practical conditions such as pulse duration, laser
.uence, pulse number, and repetition rate.
The e.ects of laser-irradiation on materials can be roughly divided into transient ones like laserinduced
transmission (LIT) or short-lived colour centres and permanent damages like the stable colour
centres and ablation. The former e.ects are particularly important for transparent devices like laser
goggles.
To obtain a complete overview on laser safety issues and the prevention of failure there are two
important .elds of investigation:
1. the e.ects of laser radiation on human eyes and skin, and
2. on the possible protection materials.
Both .elds have been addressed during the recently .nished German project SAFEST (safety aspects
in femtosecond technology). The amount of safety data available in the ultrashort pulse region has
been increased remarkably. This allows for a re-evaluation of known laser protection materials for this
region of pulse durations and for the evaluation of new designs that promise high protection levels
while being light-weight and convenient to use.
Textile, aluminium and polyethylene used as components in laser protection curtains were investigated with respect to their ablation behaviour. Employing 33-fs pulses (800 nm wavelength, 1 kHz repetition rate), ex situ geometrical measurements of the ablation cavities and in situ acoustic investigations with a microphone were performed to determine the ablation thresholds in the single- and multi-pulse cases. The acoustical method proved advantageous for complex surface morphologies and/or single laser pulse interactions. Incubation phenomena can be observed for all the materials studied. Technically relevant multi-pulse ablation thresholds are presented and are compared with the single-pulse (1-on-1) irradiation.
Ablation experiments employing Ti:sapphire laser pulses with durations from 30 to 340 fs (centre wavelength 800 nm, repetition rate 1 kHz) were performed in air. Absorbing filters (Schott BG18 and BG36) served as targets. The direct focusing technique was used under single- and multi-pulse irradiation conditions. Ablation threshold fluences were determined from a semi-logarithmic plot of the ablation crater diameter versus laser fluence. The threshold fluence decreases for a shorter pulse duration and an increasing number of pulses. The multi-pulse ablation threshold fluences are similar to those of undoped glass material (~1 J cm-2). That means that the multi-pulse ablation threshold is independent on the doping level of the filters. For more than 100 pulses per spot and all pulse durations applied, the threshold fluence is practically constant. This leads to technically relevant ablation threshold values.
We report measurements of the optical breakdown threshold and ablation depth in dielectrics with different band gaps for laser pulse durations ranging from 5 ps to 5 fs at a carrier wavelength of 780 nm. For tau <100 fs, the dominant channel for free electron generation is found to be either impact or multiphoton ionization (MPI) depending on the size of the band gap. The observed MPI rates are substantially lower than those predicted by the Keldysh theory. We demonstrate that sub-10-fs laser pulses open up the way to reversible nonperturbative nonlinear optics (at intensities greater than 1014 W/cm2 slightly below damage threshold) and to nanometer-precision laser ablation (slightly above threshold) in dielectric materials.
Laser cleaning of delicate biological composite materials such as ancient parchment manuscripts from the 15th and 16th century and printed paper from the 19th century is demonstrated with an ultraviolet excimer pulsed laser at 308 nm. Laser fluence levels must stay below the ablation and destruction threshold of the parchment or paper substrate, and have to surpass the threshold of the contaminant matter. Foreign layers to be removed must exhibit a higher optical density than the artifact substrates. Synthetic carbonaceous dirt modelled by water-soluble black crayons showed a characteristically weak featureless laser-induced plasma spectroscopy spectrum near the noise limit. It turned out that laser-induced plasma spectroscopy is of limited use in monitoring halting points (or etch-stops) because it relies on the destruction not only of the laterally inhomogenously distributed contaminant but also of pigment phases on a microscopically rough parchment substrate. Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, however, promises to be a valuable non-destructive testing technique for etch-stop monitoring.
Curved substrates can be micro-structured by laser ablation, which is not possible with standard lithographic methods. The novel femtosecond-pulse laser technique allows the production of defined and reproducible micro-perforations of originally analyte-impermeable membranes. The trans-membrane analyte flux can be controlled both by the variation of the laser focus diameter resulting in different areas of single perforations, and the number of perforations in arrays on small membrane areas. This leads to a higher degree of variability as well as reproducibility of the diffusion qualities of sensor membranes, and marks the main innovation with this technique compared to the hand-made mechanical perforation by specially grinded needles used up to now. Touchless micro-perforation of small membrane areas with negligible heat damage of the structures adjacent to the perforation allows the application of analyte door membranes directly onto curved surfaces of miniaturized needle-sensors assigned for in vivo glucose monitoring, for the first time.
High-power lasers in industrial and R & D applications raise the general problem of reliability and degradation of optical components. A systematic study of nonlinear interaction of various transparent dielectric materials as e.g. glasses, fused silica, and polymers, with laser-pulses in the intensity range of up to 1013 W cm-2 is presented. On the other hand, femtosecond-pulse laser processing in the visible spectral range (300 fs; 620 nm, ~ 2 eV) allows precise microstructuring of transparent dielectrics without disruption of the remnant material. Damage and ablation threshold fluences occur above 1.2 J cm-2 at both silicate glasses and fused silica. Two different photon absorption mechanisms have been observed. The first occurs during the initial laser pulses in the incubation range. There, multiphoton absorption results in moderate energy volume densities. These are sufficient to generate morphological changes and optically active defect sites (colour centres) which provide a much higher absorptivity relevant for the second mechanism. It results in gasification without participation of melt.
A first investigation on the ablation of composite materials like carbon and silicon-carbide reinforced alumo- and borosilicate glasses by 300 fs laser pulses (620 nm) in comparison to experiments with 17 ns pulse excimer laser (308 nm) treatment is presented. In all composites, femtosecond laser scans with a fluence of less than 2 J cm-2 produce well defined cuts with smooth side walls in contrast to the nanosecond laser result where extremely incongruent ablation is observed. Visible lasers should not be applicable because SiC and the glasses are practically transparent. Visible subpicosecond pulses of high intensity in the TW cm-2 range allow multi-photon absorption accompanied by incubation phenomena. The morphology of the groove edges reveal the contrasting ablation thresholds and rates of the fibre and glass materials. The ablation thresholds of the transparent components, i.e. the glass matrices and SiC, are about one order of magnitude greater than that of carbon which is ~ 0.15 J cm-2. Incubation effects are important for the absorption mechanisms in the transparent materials. When a critical number of pulses has not been reached at the SiC-glass composites, only the glass is preferentially ablated, and the fibres remain intact. This is in contrast to the C-glass composites where the ablation behaviour is opposite.
Surface damage and color centers generated by femtosecond pulses in borosilicate glass and silica
(2004)
Color center generation by femtosecond laser pulses (30 fs) is observed in a fluence range below the damage threshold in an alkali-free barium borosilicate (BBS) glass, and in a thin layer of SiO2 on a fused silica substrate. The color centers are characterized spectroscopically. The optical density of the color centers in BBS glass is by two orders of magnitude higher than that in silica. A healing process with a time constant of about 30 h can be found.
The laser ablation behaviour of ion-doped glass filter materials under irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses was investigated with respect to spot size and repetition rate. The damage threshold fluence of Schott BG18 depends on the size of the irradiated area. The effect is discussed in terms of a defect-site model.
Femto- and nanosecond laser ablation of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and PMMA doped with a linear absorber was
investigated in the infrared spectral region. Ablation thresholds were determined and incubation phenomena were identified. The
degree of incubation was calculated employing a phenomenological model. The influence of the pulse duration on the
machining quality of the polymers was examined. The presence of an absorbing chromophore is not a prerequisite for a
controllable fs-laser structuring in contrast to the ns-treatment. Surface swelling always accompanied ablation.
On the damage behavior of dielectric films when illuminated with multiple femtosecond laser pulses
(2005)
The physical effects reducing the damage threshold of dielectric films when exposed to multiple femtosecond pulses are investigated.
The measured temperature increase of a Ta2O5 film scales exponentially with the pulse fluence. A polarized luminescence signal is observed that
depends quadratically on the pulse fluence and is attributed to twophoton excitation of self-trapped excitons that form after band-to-band
excitation. The damage fluence decreases with increasing pulse number, but is independent of the repetition rate from 1 Hz to 1 kHz at a constant
pulse number. The repetition rate dependence of the breakdown threshold is also measured for TiO2 , HfO2,
Al2O3, and SiO2 films. A theoretical model is presented that explains these findings.
Near-ablation threshold investigations focusing on the generation of periodic nanostructures and their correlation with physico-chemical
properties of the solid phase such as e.g., the material-dependent surface energy, were conducted. Molecular dynamic modelling in the
sub-picosecond time domain was used to consider ultrafast opto-electronic processes triggering surface reorganization reactions.
Fluid containment of solid interfaces showed strong influence on the resulting micro- and nanostructures due to its drastic reduction of the
surface energy. The phenomena are discussed in respect to the minimization of the surface free energy in dependence of material composition
and interfacial structure.
We investigated the initial modification and ablation of crystalline silicon with single and multiple Ti:sapphire laser pulses of 5 to 400 fs duration. In accordance with earlier established models, we found the phenomena amorphization, melting, re-crystallization, nucleated vaporization, and ablation to occur with increasing laser fluence down to the shortest pulse durations. We noticed new morphological features (bubbles) as well as familiar ones (ripples, columns). A nearly constant ablation threshold fluence on the order of 0.2 J/cm2 for all pulse durations and multiple-pulse irradiation was observed. For a duration of ,100 fs, significant incubation can be observed, whereas for 5 fs pulses, the ablation threshold does not depend on the pulse number within the experimental error. For micromachining of silicon, a pulse duration of less than 500 fs is not advantageous.
The 125-fs laser ablation behaviour (800 nm) of aluminium and anodic oxide coatings on an AlMgSi1 alloy was investigated. The multi-pulse ablation threshold of aluminium at 1.2 J cm-2 was less than that of the oxides of 23 J cm-2. Aluminium exhibited a single pulse modification (melting) threshold of 0.3 J cm-2. These values derived from an evaluation of the crater geometry coincided with on-line acoustic measurements. The detected microphone voltage amplitude increased linearly with the laser fluence. The morphology of the ablation craters on aluminium indicated melt formation and displacement of a homogeneous melt phase due to the recoil action of the expanding metal vapour. The laser-processed ceramic oxide phases, on the other hand, showed a spongy resolidified melt layer, which denotes a collocated in-depth formation both of a melt and a gas phase. These phenomena are discussed in terms of the relative dominance of penetration depth of laser light and heat affected zones in the investigated materials with strongly varying optical and thermodynamical properties.
The multi-pulse ablation threshold of barium borosilicate glass was measured using 30-fs pulses of a high repetition rate (1 kHz) laser system. The threshold fluence was found to decrease with increasing beam radius ranging from 20 to 400 m. Two existing models are applied by considering thermal accumulation and point defects, respectively .
The ultrafast laser ablation of silicon has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The theoretical description is based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations combined with a microscopic electronic model. We determine the thresholds of melting and ablation for two different pulse durations =20 and 500 fs. Experiments have been performed using 100 Ti:Sap-phire laser pulses per spot in air environment. The ablation thresholds were determined for pulses with a duration of 25 and 400 fs, respectively. Good agreement is obtained between theory and experiment.
Multi-shot investigations of Ti:sapphire laser (wavelength (lambda) approximately equals 800 nm) induced damage were performed in three different laboratories (BAM, Berlin; LZH, Hannover; UNM, Albuquerque). The ablation behavior of a high reflecting mirror consisting of alternating (lambda) /4- layers of Ta2O5 and SiO2 was studied. Fused silica served as substrate. The influence of the pulse duration ((tau) equals 13 - 130 fs), the pulse number (30 - (infinity) ) and the repetition rate (10 Hz - 100 MHz) on the damage threshold will be discussed.
A detailed diagnostic study of the interaction of nanosecond laser pulses from the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared wavelength range with various types of contemporary and ancient parchments is presented. The advantages of laser cleaning due to the absence of chemical agents, spectroscopic selectivity, micro-precision and computer-aided handling can only be verified when physico-chemical diagnostics guarantee destructionless processing. Scanning electron microscopy data are correlated with chemical degradation and morphological changes dependent on the laser fluence and wavelength. It is also shown how transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and pyrolysis capillary gas chromatography can be employed in the chemical diagnostics of laser cleaning of parchment. This study suggests that the ageing status of parchment artefacts plays a major role in assessing the laser cleaning limits.
The applicability of excimer laser at 308 nm and Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm with fluences below 0.86 J/cm2 for cleaning of cellulose and paper materials was evaluated. The extent of degradation of purified cotton cellulose and Fabriano paper after laser treatment as well as after a period of accelerated humid oven ageing was determined by following the changes in the degree of polymerization. While irradiation of paper with the excimer laser at 308 nm results in depolymerization of cellulose accompanied by a decrease in ISO brightness, no detrimental effects of Nd:YAG laser treatments were observed.
Femtosecond laser pulses are close to industrial use. The advantages of ultrashort laser pulses for micromachining applications especially in the case of dielectric and biological samples down to pulse durations of 5 fs have been established. The current international standards of laser safety are primarily concerned with CW and pulsed lasers down to the nanosecond range. Therefore, human tissue and laser-protection equipment was investigated with respect to its resistance and protection performance for femtosecond laser illumination down to 30 fs. This included filter glasses for laser protection eyewear, polymer and textile materials used in curtains and guards. Bulk absorber filters can provide enough protection against laser radiation, give a sufficiently broad absorption spectrum. Materials are damaged more easily by femtosecond laser radiation. The need for sufficient spectral broadness as well as the different damage thresholds have to be included in international laser safety standards. This work should trigger the development of novel eye-protection devices that are lighter and ergonomically more acceptable than present commercial models.
The communitary research concernung laser techniques in conservation: results and perspectives
(2003)
Phase separation by lasers: chemical engineering downsized to microtechnology and arts restoration
(2003)
State of the Art Paper and Parchment Cleaning: on the Verge to Advanced Connservation Technology
(2003)
Femtosecond laser interaction with silicon was investigated in water and in air, with 130-fs laser pulses at 800 nm wavelength. Under water confinement, higher modification thresholds, lower ablation depths and similar incubation factors were found in comparison to the dry experiment. Morphological features of the laser-induced cavities also differed. In contrast to air experiments, debris redeposition was negligible, while the ablated material remained suspended in the water layer phase. Underwater cavities obtained at high fluences and high number of pulses per spot showed anomalous profiles, consistent with a strong spatial deformation of the laser beam coupled into the target. Ripples formed at the edges of the modified area showed varying spacings: f100 and f700 nm for water and air experiments, respectively. Differences to the air experiment were related to a complex combination of fluence-dependent non-linear effects occurring in the water layer and to pulse-number-dependent shielding effects induced by cavitation bubbles and suspended ablated
material.
Abstract Femtosecond laser micromachining has excited vivid attention in various industri-
al fields and in medicine owing to the advantages of ultrashort laser pulses compared to
long-pulse treatment.These are mainly the reduction of the laser fluence needed to induce
ablation and the improvement of the contour sharpness of the laser-generated structures.
Recently,special attention was paid to femtosecond laser experiments on nonabsorbing in-
organic dielectrics.This is due to the fact that optical damage in dielectric optical elements
limits the performance of high-power laser systems.Despite the fact that a large variety of
organic polymers can be machined with excimer lasers successfully,the involvement of
thermal processes can lead to an unsatisfactory quality of the structures.Ultrashort,fs-laser
pulses might be an alternative for the treatment of polymers.Therefore,femtosecond laser
machining investigations of dielectrics and polymers are reviewed in this paper.Similarities
and differences of the ablation behavior of both material classes are discussed.The influ-
ence of the bandgap on the ablation threshold in dependence on the pulse duration,the en-
hancement of the machining precision with a shortening of the pulse duration,incubation
phenomena,and morphological features appearing on the surface after femtosecond laser
treatment are mentioned.Possible applications,e.g.,in medicine and biosensors,are de-
scribed.
Amorphous carbon (a-C) multilayered films consisting of sequential layers rich in sp2 (A) and sp3 (B) content have been developed by magnetron sputtering. We study here the effect of thickness d of the A layer in developing stable thick films with controllable stress and elastic properties. In situ spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to calculate the thickness and the composition of the individual layers. The latter were compared with those obtained by depth profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which also provides the different chemical bonding of the multilayers in depth. The stress and hardness of the deposited a-C films were found to be related to the thickness of the Aj layers and the relative ratio dAj/dB of thicknesses. The possible mechanisms for the stress control, stability and enhancement of elastic properties of multilayered a-C films are discussed.
The mechanism of the recrystallization of nano-scale bacterial surface protein layers (S-layers) on solid substrates is of fundamental interest in the understanding and engineering of biomembranes and e.g. biosensors. In this context, the influence of the charging state of the substrate had to be clarified. Therefore, the electrochemical behaviour of the S-layers on gold electrodes has been investigated by in-situ electrochemical quartz microbalance (EQMB) measurements, scanning force microscopy (SFM) and small-spot X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SS-XPS) of potentiostatically emersed substrates. It was shown that the negatively charged bonding sites of the S-layer units (e.g. carboxylates) can bond with positively charged Au surface atoms in the positively charged electrochemical double layer region positive of the point of zero charge (not, vert, similar-0.8 V vs. saturated mercury-mercurous sulphate electrode). Surface conditions in other potential regions decelerated the recrystallization and fixation of S-layers. Time-resolved in-situ and ex-situ measurements demonstrated that two-dimensional S-layer crystal formation on gold electrodes can occur within few minutes in contrast to hours common in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) generation. These results proved that the recrystallization and fixation of 2D-crystalline S-layers on an electronic conductor can be influenced and controlled by direct electrochemical manipulation.
The interaction of nanosecond laser pulses in the ultraviolet wavelength range and femtosecond laser pulses in the near-infrared region with the semiconductor SiC and the composite compound SiCTiCTiB2 was investigated. Surface analytical techniques, such as XPS, depth profile (DP), and micro-Raman spectroscopy (?-RS) were used to identify the chemical changes between untreated and laser-treated areas. Single-pulse irradiation led to material modifications in the condensed state in most instances. Multi-pulse results differed depending on the pulse duration. Crystal structure changes were observed as a consequence of laser-induced melting and resolidification. In air contact all components underwent oxidation reactions according to thermodynamic expectations. Exceptions were observed under exclusion of oxygen, SiC was reduced to elemental Si.
The interaction of nanosecond laser pulses in the ultraviolet wavelength range and femtosecond laser pulses in the near-infrared region with the direct semiconductor SiC and the composite compound SiC-TiC-TiB2 was investigated in respect to resulting physicochemical processes. Surface analytical techniques, such as XPS, µ-Raman, and EDX were used to identify the chemical changes between untreated and laser-treated areas. Single-pulse irradiation led to material
modifications in the condensed state in most instances. Multi-pulse results differed depending on the pulse duration. In the nanosecond case, melting of the surface and redeposited material (debris) were observed. With femtosecond pulses instead, only negligible melting and few debris could be detected. Additionally, periodic structures (ripples) appeared, with parallel orientation and in most cases two different periodicities for a particular material. Laser ablation of all the studied compound materials exhibited preferential ablation of the lighter component elements. Crystal structure changes of the irradiated surface were observed as a consequence of laser-induced melting and resolidification. An oxidation process interfered with all this processes so that unstoichiometric oxides were formed.
The removal and accelerated corrosion monitoring of metal coating systems is of general interest in materials science
and engineering technology. The femtosecond and nanosecond laser ablation and delamination at 800 nm and 532 nm,
respectively, of anodic oxide layers on aluminium alloys in electrolyte contact were investigated. Laser-induced
modifications of the oxide layer resulted in an ionic contact between electrolyte and metal, which produced a current
transient and thus allowed the in-situ electrochemical monitoring of the modification. Oxide coatings with different
optical properties, almost transparent and opaque, were examined. The transparent anodic oxides showed contrasting
ablation mechanisms in the nanosecond and femtosecond pulse duration regime: nanosecond pulses caused spallation,
whereas femtosecond treatment led to ablation. Current signals measured in the transparent film were consistent with
light absorption below the metal-oxide interface and with film spallation. Irradiation of the opaque coating yielded ionic
current transients within the so-called shock-affected-zone of the oxide layer. This investigation provided insight into the
role of the penetration depth of light and the heat-affected zone, the extent of the shock-affected zone, and the defect
formation in the coating and at the solid-solid interface between metal and oxide.
Optical filters and fabrics are important parts of laser safety equipment such as goggles and curtains. A choice of these materials with varying absorption spectra is investigated with respect to their resistance to Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser radiation (800 nm wavelength, 1 kHz repetition rate). Pulse durations down to 30 fs and multiple-pulse irradiation conditions are employed to evaluate technically relevant damage thresholds. The ablation threshold fluences of the absorbing filters are comparable to those observed for transparent materials with 30-fs-pulses. These investigations together with scanning electron microscopy of the surface morphology after laser treatment provide insight into the interaction mechanism of the short pulses with the materials.