Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
Dokumenttyp
- Zeitschriftenartikel (129)
- Vortrag (68)
- Posterpräsentation (31)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (29)
- Buchkapitel (10)
- Beitrag zu einem Sammelband (4)
- Monografie (1)
- Video (1)
Schlagworte
- Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) (70)
- Femtosecond laser ablation (40)
- Femtosecond laser (32)
- Surface functionalization (31)
- Laser processing (23)
- Laser ablation (19)
- Laser-induced periodic surface structures, LIPSS (12)
- Silicon (12)
- Nanostructures (11)
- Applications (10)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 6 Materialchemie (106)
- 6.2 Material- und Oberflächentechnologien (106)
- 9 Komponentensicherheit (16)
- 9.5 Tribologie und Verschleißschutz (16)
- 6.1 Oberflächen- und Dünnschichtanalyse (9)
- 4 Material und Umwelt (8)
- 4.1 Biologische Materialschädigung und Referenzorganismen (8)
- 6.7 Materialsynthese und Design (4)
- 6.6 Physik und chemische Analytik der Polymere (3)
- 5 Werkstofftechnik (1)
Paper des Monats
- ja (3)
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.
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.
Multiple pulse investigations of 130-fs Ti:sapphire laser-induced damage of a high reflecting mirror consisting of alternating ?/4-layers of Ta2O5 and SiO2 and a single 500-nm Ta2O5 film were performed. In both cases, fused silica served as the substrate. For a fixed number of 1000 laser pulses per spot, a decrease in the damage threshold fluence of the mirror by a factor of two was observed by changing the repetition rate from 10 Hz to 1 kHz. A single 500-nm Ta2O5 film shows higher damage resistance compared to the mirror. The mirror and the Ta2O5 film samples were partially coated with a 300-nm-thick aluminium layer. The aluminium coating does not influence the damage threshold of the dielectrics underneath.
Micromachining experiments were performed with Ti:sapphire laser pulses (130 fs - 150 fs, 800 nm, approximately 10 Hz) in air. Employing the direct focusing technique, highly absorbing titanium nitride (TiN) and weakly absorbing polyimide (PI) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) served as target materials. The lateral and vertical precision of the laser ablation and morphological features were characterized by scanning force (SFM), scanning electron (SEM) and optical microscopy. For TiN, incubation can be observed, i.e. the single-pulse surface damage threshold (0.26 J/cm2) is by a factor of two greater than the threshold for 100 pulses. Ablation rates below 10 nm per pulse can be achieved. The evolution of sub-wavelength ripples is presented in dependence on pulse number and laser fluence, respectively. The incubation behavior of the polymers can be described by an accumulation model as for TiN. Experiments on PI with varying focal lengths result in the same modification thresholds. Different polarization states of light (linear, circular) lead to a variation of the ablation rate and to various morphological patterns in the ablation craters (wavelength ripples, cones). Swelling of PMMA occurred at fluences below the ablation threshold.
The irradiation of ~0.9-µm-thick hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) layers deposited on silicon substrates with single femtosecond (fs) laser pulses (35 fs pulse duration, 790 nm centre wavelength) in air is studied experimentally. Irradiation spots have been generated with different peak fluences and subsequently investigated by optical topometry, micro Raman spectroscopy and microscale mechanical indentation in order to evaluate their microscopic, topographical, structural and mechanical properties (e.g. elastic modulus). By this multi-method approach, a clear separation of different effects (delamination and graphitisation) becomes possible. The joint application of mechanical and spectroscopic techniques provides unique insights into the effects of the fs-laser radiation on the carbon layer.
A promising technology in photovoltaics is based on micro-concentrator solar cells, where the photovoltaic active area is realized as an array of sub-millimeter sized cells onto which the incident light is focused via microlenses. This approach allows to increase the cell efficiency and to realize much more compact modules compared to macroscopic concentrator devices. At the same time, expensive raw materials can be saved, which is of interest, for example, with respect to indium in the case of copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGSe) thin film solar cells. Two methods to produce micro-sized precursors of CIGSe absorbers on molybdenum are presented using 30-fs laser pulses at 790 nm wavelength. On the one hand, a multi pulse surface structuring of the molybdenum film or the underlying glass substrate and a subsequent physical vapor deposition were used for a site-selective aggregation of indium droplets. On the other hand, a single pulse laser-induced forward transfer was utilized to selectively deposit combined copper-indium precursor pixels on the molybdenum back contact of the solar cell. Post-processing (selenization, isolation, contacting) of the laser-generated micro-sized precursors results in functional CIGSe solar cells.
Laser texturing is an emerging technology for generating surface functionalities on basis of optical, mechanical, or chemical properties. Taking benefit of laser sources with ultrashort (fs) pulse durations features outstanding precision of machining and negligible rims or burrs surrounding the laser-irradiation zone. Consequently, additional mechanical or chemical post-processing steps are usually not required for fs-laser surface texturing (fs-LST). This work aimed to provide a bridge between research in the field of tribology and laser materials processing. The paper reviews the current state-of-the-art in fs-LST, with a focus on the tribological performance (friction and wear) of specific self-organized surface structures (so-called ripples, grooves, and spikes) on steel and titanium alloys. On the titanium alloy, specific sickle-shaped hybrid micro-nanostructures were also observed and tribologically tested. Care is taken to identify accompanying effects affecting the materials hardness, superficial oxidation, nano- and microscale topographies, and the role of additives contained in lubricants, such as commercial engine oil.
Micro-concentrator solar cells offer an attractive way to further enhance the efficiency of planar-cell technologies while saving absorber material. Here, two laser-based bottom-up processes for the fabrication of regular arrays of CuInSe2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 microabsorber islands are presented, namely one approach based on nucleation and one based on laser-induced forward transfer.
Additionally, a procedure for processing these microabsorbers to functioning micro solar cells connected in parallel is demonstrated. The resulting cells show up to 2.9% efficiency and a significant efficiency enhancement under concentrated Illumination.
Miniaturized pacemakers with a surface consisting of a Ti alloy may have to be removed after several years from their implantation site in the heart and shall, therefore, not be completely overgrown by cells or tissue. A method to avoid this may be to create at the surface by laser-ablation self-organized sharp conical spikes, which provide too little surface for cells (i.e., fibroblasts) to grow on. For this purpose, Ti-alloy substrates were irradiated in the air by 790 nm Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser pulses at fluences above the ablation threshold. The laser irradiation resulted in pronounced microstructure formation with hierarchical surface morphologies. Murine fibroblasts were seeded onto the laser-patterned surface and the coverage by cells was evaluated after 3–21 days of cultivation by means of scanning electron microscopy. Compared to flat surfaces, the cell density on the microstructures was significantly lower, the coverage was incomplete, and the cells had a clearly different morphology. The best results regarding suppression of cell growth were obtained on spike structures which were additionally electrochemically oxidized under acidic conditions. Cell cultivation with additional shear stress could reduce further the number of adherent cells.
The effects of femtosecond laser pulse irradiation on the glass structure of alkaline silicate glasses were investigated by x-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy using the beamline of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt at the electron synchrotron BESSY II in Berlin (Germany) by analyzing the magnesium Κ-edge absorption peak for different laser fluences. The application of fluences above the material modification threshold (2.1 J/cm²) leads to a characteristic shift of ~1.0 eV in the Κ-edge revealing a reduced (~3%) mean magnesium bond length to the ligated oxygen ions (Mg-O) along with a reduced average coordination number of the Mg ions.
Micro- and nanostructuring with laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) has been demonstrated to be feasible in a wide variety of materials including metals, semiconductors and dielectrics. Suitable processing regimes for flat, curved and complex surfaces have been identified for many materials, allowing the generation of diverse applications in fields such as optics, tribology and medicine, to name a few. A common side effect when producing such structures in air environment is the formation of a thin surface oxide layer in the laser irradiated areas. Previous studies have shown that oxidation plays an important role in the tribological performance for which the structures where created, and very recently it has been shown that the laser-induced oxide graded layers may contribute to the formation of a new type of embedded low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) with annomalous orientation parallel to the laser polarization, in addition to the appearance of the well-known high-spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) at the surface. In this contribution, we explore this effect experimentally for chromium nitride (CrN) irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses and compare the findings to finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations of the intensity distributions at different depth positions.
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) in different materials (metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics) upon irradiation with linearly polarized fs-laser pulses (τ~30–150 fs, λ~800 nm) in air environment is studied experimentally and theoretically. In metals, predominantly low-spatial-frequency-LIPSS with periods close to the laser wavelength λ are observed perpendicular to the polarization. Under specific irradiation conditions, high-spatial-frequency-LIPSS with sub-100-nm spatial periods (~λ/10) can be generated. For semiconductors, the impact of transient changes of the optical properties to the LIPSS periods is analyzed theoretically and experimentally. In dielectrics, the importance of transient excitation stages in the LIPSS formation is demonstrated experimentally using (multiple) double-fs-laser-pulse irradiation sequences. A characteristic decrease of the LIPSS periods is observed for double-pulse delays of less than 2 ps.
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on two different silica polymorphs (single-crystalline synthetic quartz and commercial fused silica glass) upon irradiation in air with multiple linearly polarized single- and double-fs-laser pulse sequences (τ = 150 fs pulse duration, λ = 800nm center wavelength, temporal pulse separation Δt < 40 ps) is studied experimentally and theoretically. Two distinct types of fs-LIPSS [so-called low-spatial-frequency LIPSS (LSFL) and high-spatial-frequency LIPSS (HSFL)] with different spatial periods and orientations were identified. Their appearance was characterized with respect to the experimental parameters peak laser fluence and number of laser pulses per spot. Additionally, the 'dynamics' of the LIPSS formation was addressed in complementary double-fs-pulse experiments with varying delays, revealing a characteristic change of the LSFL periods. The experimental results are interpreted on the basis of a Sipe-Drude model considering the carrier dependence of the optical properties of fs-laser excited silica. This new approach provides an explanation of the LSFL orientation parallel to the laser beam polarisation in silica—as opposed to the behaviour of most other materials.
Two-color double-fs-pulse experiments were performed on silicon wafers to study the temporally distributed energy deposition in the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). A Mach-Zehnder interferometer generated parallel or cross-polarized double-pulse sequences at 400 and 800 nm wavelength, with inter-pulse delays up to a few picoseconds between the sub-ablation 50-fs-pulses. Multiple two-color double-pulse sequences were collinearly focused by a spherical mirror to the sample. The resulting LIPSS characteristics (periods, areas) were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. A wavelength-dependent plasmonic mechanism is proposed to explain the delay-dependence of the LIPSS. These two-color experiments extend previous single-color studies and prove the importance of the ultrafast energy deposition for LIPSS formation.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) were generated on stainless steel (100Cr6) and titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) surfaces upon irradiation with multiple femtosecond laser pulses (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm). The experimental conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning geometry for the processing of large surface areas (5 × 5 mm²) covered homogeneously by the nanostructures. The irradiated surface regions were subjected to white light interference microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealing spatial periods around 600 nm. The tribological performance of the nanostructured surface was characterized by reciprocal sliding against a ball of hardened steel in paraffin oil and in commercial engine oil as lubricants, followed by subsequent inspection of the wear tracks. For specific conditions, on the titanium alloy a significant reduction of the friction coefficient by a factor of more than two was observed on the laser-irradiated (LIPSS-covered) surface when compared to the non-irradiated one, indicating the potential benefit of laser surface structuring for tribological applications.
Titanium nitride (TiN) was coated on different substrate materials, namely pure titanium (Ti), titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and steel (100Cr6), generating 2.5 μm thick TiN layers. Using femtosecond laser pulses (30 fs, 790 nm, 1 kHz pulse repetition rate), large surface areas (5 mm × 5 mm) of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) with sub-wavelength periods ranging between 470 nm and 600 nm were generated and characterized by optical microscopy (OM), white light interference microscopy (WLIM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In tribological tests, coefficients of friction (COF) of the nanostructured surfaces were determined under reciprocating sliding conditions (1 Hz, 1.0 N normal load) against a 10-mm diameter ball of hardened 100Cr6 steel during 1000 cycles using two different lubricants, namely paraffin oil and engine oil. It turned out that the substrate material, the laser fluence and the lubricant are crucial for the tribological performance. However, friction and wear could not be significantly reduced by LIPSS on TiN layers in comparison to unstructured TiN surfaces. Finally, the resulting wear tracks on the nanostructured surfaces were investigated with respect to their morphology (OM, SEM), depth (WLIM) and chemical composition by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and, on one hand, compared with each other, on the other hand, with non-structured TiN surfaces.
Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures: from light localization to applications
(2019)
This presentation reviews the current state in the field of Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). These surface nanostructures are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with intense linearly polarized laser radiation. LIPSS are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying material processing applications. They can be produced following a single-step process and enable surface functionalization through the adaption of optical, mechanical and chemical surface properties. Their structural sizes typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers exhibiting a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the laser radiation. Various types of surface structures are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics, through time-resolved optical experiments and theoretical simulations. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures: importance of transient excitation stages
(2011)
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) upon irradiation of semiconductors and dielectrics by linearly polarized high-intensity Ti:sapphire fs-laser pulses (τ ~100 fs, λ ~800 nm) is studied experimentally and theoretically. In the experiments, two different types of LIPSS exhibiting very different spatial periods are observed (socalled LSFL low spatial frequency LIPSS, and HSFL - high spatial frequency LIPSS), both having a different dependence on the incident laser fluence and pulse number per spot. The experimental results are analyzed by means of a new theoretical approach, which combines the generally accepted LIPSS theory of J. E. Sipe and co-workers [Phys. Rev. B 27, 1141-1154 (1983)] with a Drude model, in order to account for transient changes of the optical properties of the irradiated materials. The joint Sipe-Drude model is capable of explaining numerous aspects of fs-LIPSS formation, i.e., the orientation of the LIPSS, their fluence dependence as well as their spatial periods. The latter aspect is specifically demonstrated for silicon crystals, which show experimental LSFL periods Λ somewhat smaller than λ. This behaviour is caused by the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons, SPP, (once the initially semiconducting material turns to a metallic state upon formation of a dense free-electron-plasma in the material) and the subsequent interference between its electrical fields with that of the incident laser beam, resulting in a spatially modulated energy deposition at the surface.
Upon multi-pulse irradiation, a feedback mechanism, caused by the redshift of the resonance in a grating-assisted SPP excitation, is further reducing the LSFL spatial periods. The SPP-based mechanism of LSFL successfully explains the remarkably large range of LSFL periods between ~0.6 λ and λ.
The removal of a 75- to 90-nm-thick passivating silicon nitride antireflection coating from standard textured multicrystalline silicon photovoltaic wafers with a typical diffused 90-Ω/sq-emitter upon irradiation with near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses (790 nm central wavelength, 30 fs pulse duration) is studied experimentally. The laser irradiation areas are subsequently characterized by complementary optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and depth profiling chemical analyses using secondary ion mass spectrometry. The results clarify the thin-film femtosecond laser ablation scenario and outline the process windows for selective antireflection coating removal.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were generated on two types of steel (100Cr6, X30CrMoN15-1) and two types of titanium (Ti, Ti6A14V) surfaces upon irradiation with multiple linear polarized femtosecond laser pulses in air environment (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm, pulse repetition rate 1 kHz, Gaussian beam shape). Teh conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning geometry for the processing of large surface areas covered homogeneously by two different types of LIPSS - either near wavelength or sub-100 nm structures. The tribological performance of the nanostructured surfaces was characterized under reciprocating sliding at 1 Hz against a ball of hardened steel using different lubricants and normal forces. After 1000 cycles the corresponding wear tracks were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. For specific conditions, the wear was strongly reduced and laser-generated nanostructures endured the tribological treatment. Simultaneously, a significant reduction of the friction coefficient was observed in the laser-irradiated LIPSS-covered areas, indicating the benefit of laser surface structuring for tribological applications. The spatially Gaussian shaped beam used for the laser processing was transformed via beam shaping into a top hat distribution at the surface of the samples for optimization. The tribological performance of the laser-induced nanostructures is discussed on the basis of different physical and chemical mechanisms.
Ablation of indium phosphide wafers in air was performed with 130 fs laser pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm at a low repetition rate of 10 Hz. In order to evaluate the role of the incubation effects, the relationship between the number of laser pulses used for the ablation and the threshold fluence was studied. Particular attention was paid to the chemical composition, surface morphology and structural variations of the ablated area.
Ultrashort pulse laser microstructuring (pulse duration 130 fs, wavelength 800 nm, repetition rate 2 Hz) of titanium nitride (TiN) films on silicon substrates was performed in air using the direct focusing technique. The lateral and vertical precision of laser ablation was evaluated. The TiN ablation threshold changed with the number of pulses applied to the surface due to an incubation effect. An ablation depth per pulse below the penetration depth of light was observed. Columnar structures were formed in the silicon substrate after drilling through the TiN layer.
Laser ablation with femtosecond pulses (130 fs, wavelength 800 nm, repetition rate 2 Hz) was compared with nanosecond-pulse ablation (10 ns, wavelength 266 nm, repetition rate 2.5 Hz) of bariumalumoborosilicate glass in air using the direct focusing technique. Different ablation thresholds and heat-affected zones were observed. The lateral and vertical machining precision was evaluated. Single nanosecond laser pulses in the far UV resulted in a bubble or a circular hole in the centre of the illuminated spot, depending on the applied fluence. The ablation behaviour in the case of near-IR femtosecond pulses contrasted to this. Bubble formation was not detected. It needed repeated pulses at the same spot to modify the surface until material removal could be observed (incubation). Cavity dimensions of less than the beam diameter were achieved in this case.
The relation between ablation threshold fluence upon femtosecond laser pulse irradiation and the average dissociation energy density of silicate based multicomponent glass is studied. A simple model based on multiphoton absorption quantifies the absorbed energy density at the ablation threshold fluence. This energy density is compared to a calculated energy density which is necessary to decompose the glass compound into its atomic constituents. The results confirm that this energy density is a crucial intrinsic material parameter for the description of the femtosecond laser ablation threshold fluence of dielectrics.
Summary form only given. Machining investigations of crystalline silicon have been performed with laser pulses at a wavelength of 780 nm in the range between 5 fs and 400 fs. Applying 100 pulses per spot, surface damage thresholds were determined by the measurement of the damage diameter. In this pulse duration regime, the threshold fluences were nearly constant. Single-pulse investigations with 5 fs pulses yielded a value of about 0.15 J cm-2 identical to the multi-pulse experiment. This is in contradiction to the behaviour of dielectrics where incubation effects alter the optical properties down to the 5 fs pulse regime. Employing laser pulses with a duration of 130 fs at a wavelength of 800 nm, single-pulse ablation thresholds of 0.23 J cm-2 and 0.16 J cm-2 were determined for Si and InP in air, respectively. The threshold fluence was calculated from the linear relation between the square of the diameters versus the logarithm of the laser fluences.