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Erscheinungsjahr
- 1999 (2) (entfernen)
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- Englisch (2)
Referierte Publikation
- ja (2)
Schlagworte
- Ablation (1)
- Femtosecond laser (1)
- Laser (1)
- Laser ablation (1)
- Picosecond (1)
- Polyimide (1)
Ti:sapphire laser pulses of 130 fs and 800 nm were focused on 3.2-7m-thick TiN films by a 60-mm focal length lens in air. The morphology of the ablated areas generated by laser pulses at a fluence slightly above the ablation threshold was characterized in dependence on the pulse number by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The cavity profiles, depths, diameters, and volumes were quantitatively evaluated by AFM. The polarization state of the laser light is discussed as a further parameter, in addition to fluence and pulse number, that influences and controls the ablation precision of these materials. It was observed that circularly polarized radiation enhances the average ablation rates and reduces the roughness in the cavities by a factor of 2-3 as compared to linearly polarized radiation of the same incident laser fluence. Special attention was paid to the interfacial region between the coating and substrate. Ultrashort-pulse laser drilling into the Si substrate revealed the generation of columnar features which even may surmount the original coating under laser conditions.
Some applications of polymer films require the microstructuring of partly uneven substrates. This cannot be achieved by conventional photolithography, usually performed with ultraviolet short-pulse lasers (excimer, fourth harmonic Nd:YAG). When processing thermally sensitive or undoped polymers with low optical absorption, the use of femtosecond laser pulses can improve the ablation precision, also reducing the heat-affected zone. Therefore, a Ti:sapphire laser system was employed to perform ablation experiments on polyimide (PI). The irradiated areas were evaluated by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy. Highly oriented ripple structures, which are related to the polarization state of the laser pulses, were observed in the cavities. The relationship between the ablation threshold fluence and the number of laser pulses applied to the same spot is described in accordance with an incubation model.