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Paper des Monats
- ja (2)
Ablation of single-crystalline (100) indium phosphide wafer surfaces with single 10 fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses in air has been studied by means of complementary cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning force microscopy, and optical microscopy. A local protrusion of ~70 nm height is generated within the ablation craters for fluences exceeding 0.78 J/cm². This morphological feature has been studied in detail, revealing the material structure of the laser-affected zone and its spatial extent. The resolidified layer (60-200 nm thick) consists of polycrystalline grains (5-15 nm diameter) and is covered by an ~10 nm thick amorphous top layer. Interestingly, the sharp boundary of the solidified layer to the unaffected crystal underneath exhibits a Gaussian-like shape and does not follow the shape of the surface topography. Evidence is presented that the central crater protrusion is formed by near-surface optical breakdown, and that the absorption in the material transiently changes during the femtosecond-laser pulse.
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.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the picosecond to femtosecond range. During the past few years significantly increasing research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical or chemical properties. In this contribution current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures upon irradiation of titanium, silicon, and fused silica with multiple irradiation sequences consisting of parallel polarized Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser pulse pairs (pulse duration 50–150 fs, central wavelength ~800 nm) is studied experimentally. The temporal delay between the individual near-equal energy fs-laser pulses was varied between 0 and 5 ps with a temporal resolution of better than 0.2 ps. The surface morphology of the irradiated surface areas is characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In all materials a decrease of the rippled surface area is observed for increasing delays. The characteristic delay decay scale is quantified and related to material dependent excitation and energy relaxation processes.
In this study, femtosecond laser-induced sub-micrometer structures are generated to modify polyethylene (PE) surface topographies. These surfaces were subjected to bacterial colonization studies with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as test strains. The results reveal that the nanostructures do not influence S. aureus coverage, while the adhesion of E. coli is reduced.
Femtosecond (fs) laser pulse ablation (pulse duration of 150 fs, wavelength of 775 nm, repetition rate of 1 kHz) of single-crystalline TeO2 surfaces was performed in air using the direct focusing technique. The lateral and vertical dimensions of laser ablated craters as well as the laser damage thresholds were evaluated for different pulse numbers applied to the same spot. The joint observation using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed the surface morphology of the ablated craters and also showed that the ablation threshold depends significantly on the number of laser pulses applied to the same spot due to incubation effects. The incubation effects change the absorption processes involved in fs-laser ablation of the transparent material from multiphoton absorption to a single-photon absorption. These results are discussed on the basis of recent models of the interaction of fs-laser pulses with dielectrics.
In this contribution, chemical, structural, and mechanical alterations in various types of femtosecond laser-generated surface structures, i.e., laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples), Grooves, and Spikes on titanium alloy, are characterized by various surface analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction and glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy. The formation of oxide layers of the different laser-based structures inherently influences the friction and wear performance as demonstrated in oil-lubricated reciprocating sliding tribological tests (RSTTs) along with subsequent elemental mapping by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. It is revealed that the fs-laser scan processing (790 nm, 30 fs, 1 kHz) of near-wavelength-sized LIPSS leads to the formation of a graded oxide layer extending a few hundreds of nanometers into depth, consisting mainly of amorphous oxides. Other superficial fs-laser-generated structures such as periodic Grooves and irregular Spikes produced at higher fluences and effective number of pulses per unit area present even thicker graded oxide layers that are also suitable for friction reduction and wear resistance. Ultimately, these femtosecond laser-induced nanostructured surface layers efficiently prevent a direct metal-to-metal contact in the RSTT and may act as an anchor layer for specific wear-reducing additives contained in the used engine oil.
Chemical, morphological and accumulation phenomena in ultrashort-pulse laser ablation of TiN in air
(2000)
Ultrashort-pulse laser ablation (F=130 fs, 5=800 nm, repetition rate 2-20 Hz) of titanium nitride was investigated for laser fluences between 0.3 and 4.5 J/cm2 using the direct focusing technique in air. The influence of the laser pulse number and the peak fluence was investigated by means of several surface analytical techniques (optical microscopy, dynamic friction atomic force microscopy, scanning Auger electron microscopy and small-spot electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis). The correlation of the results about optical, physical and chemical properties of the irradiated areas allows us to propose a simple oxidation model, which explains different observed phenomena associated with surface damage such as mound formation and crater widening and clarifies the incubation behavior reported earlier for this material.
Compositional dependent response of silica-based glasses after femtosecond laser pulse irradiation
(2013)
Femtosecond laser pulse irradiation of inorganic glasses allows a selective modification of the optical properties with very high precision. This results in the possibility for the production of three-dimensional functional optical elements in the interior of glass materials, such as optical data storage, waveguide writing, etc. The influence of the chemical glass composition to the response upon ultrashort laser irradiation has not been studied systematically. For that, simple silicabased model glasses composed of systematically varying alkaline- and earth-alkaline components were prepared, irradiated on the surface and in the volume with single fs-laser pulses (~130 fs, 800 nm), and were subsequently analyzed by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy and quantitative phase contrast microscopy in order to account for changes in the glass structure and for alterations of the optical refractive index, respectively. The Raman spectroscopic studies of the laser-irradiated spots revealed no change in the average binding configuration (the so called Q-structure), but local changes of bond-angles and bond-lengths within the glass structure structure. Those changes are explained by structural relaxation of the glass network due to densification caused by a transient laser-induced plasma generation and the following shock wave and other thermal phenomena. Glasses with a low amount of network modifiers show changes in the Si-O network while glasses with a high amount of network modifiers react primarily via variation of the nonbridging oxygen ions. The results are discussed in terms of possible structural response mechanisms and conclusions are outlined regarding glass compositions with technical suitability for fs-laser modifications.
This contribution investigates laser-induced damage of thin film and bulk polymer
samples, with the focus on physical processes occurring close to the damage threshold. In-situ
real-time reflectivity (RTR) measurements with picosecond (ps) and nanosecond (ns) temporal
resolution were performed on thin polymer films on a timescale up to a few microseconds (µs).
A model for polymer thin film damage is presented, indicating that irreversible chemical
modification processes take place already below the fluence threshold for macroscopic damage.
On dye-doped bulk polymer filters (as used for laser goggles), transmission studies using fs-and
ps-laser pulses reveal the optical saturation behavior of the material and its relation to the
threshold of permanent damage. Implications of the sub-threshold processes for laser safety
applications will be discussed for thin film and bulk polymer damage.
The redeposited material (debris) resulting from ablation of a potassium–magnesium silicate glass upon scanning femtosecond laser pulse irradiation (130 fs, 800 nm) in air environment is investigated by means of three complementary surface analytical methods. Changes in the electronic band structure of the glass constituent Magnesium (Mg) were identified by X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure spectroscopy (XANES) using synchrotron radiation. An up-shift of ≈0.8 eV of a specific Magnesium Κ-edge absorption peak in the spectrum of the redeposited material along with a significant change in its leading edge position was detected. In contrast, the surface left after laser ablation exhibits a downshift of the peak position by ≈0.9 eV. Both observations may be related to a change of the Mg coordinative state of the laser modified/redeposited glass material. The presence of carbon in the debris is revealed by micro Raman spectroscopy (µ-RS) and was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). These observations are attributed to structural changes and chemical reactions taking place during the ablation process.
Single-pulse (532 nm, 8 ns) micropatterning of silicon with nanometric surface modulation is demonstrated by irradiating through a diffracting pinhole. The irradiation results obtained at fluences above the melting threshold are characterized by scanning electron and scanning force microscopy and reveal a good agreement with Fresnel diffraction theory. The physical mechanism is identified and discussed on basis of both thermocapillary and chemicapillary induced material transport during the molten state of the surface.
We have studied plasma formation and relaxation dynamics along with the corresponding topography modifications in fused silica and sapphire induced by single femtosecond laser pulses (800 nm and 120 fs). These materials, representative of high bandgap amorphous and crystalline dielectrics, respectively, require nonlinear mechanisms to absorb the laser light. The study employed a femtosecond time-resolved microscopy technique that allows obtaining reflectivity and transmission images of the material surface at well-defined temporal delays after the arrival of the pump pulse which excites the dielectric material. The transient evolution of the free-electron plasma formed can be followed by combining the time-resolved optical data with a Drude model to estimate transient electron densities and skin depths. The temporal evolution of the optical properties is very similar in both materials within the first few hundred picoseconds, including the formation of a high reflectivity ring at about 7 ps. In contrast, at longer delays (100 ps20 ns) the behavior of both materials differs significantly, revealing a longer lasting ablation process in sapphire. Moreover, transient images of sapphire show a concentric ring pattern surrounding the ablation crater, which is not observed in fused silica. We attribute this phenomenon to optical diffraction at a transient elevation of the ejected molten material at the crater border. On the other hand, the final topography of the ablation crater is radically different for each material. While in fused silica a relatively smooth crater with two distinct regimes is observed, sapphire shows much steeper crater walls, surrounded by a weak depression along with cracks in the material surface. These differences are explained in terms of the most relevant thermal and mechanical properties of the material. Despite these differences the maximum crater depth is comparable in both material at the highest fluences used (16J/cm2). The evolution of the crater depth as a function of fluence can be described taking into account the individual bandgap of each material.
In order to address the dynamics and physical mechanisms of LIPSS formation for three different classes of materials (metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics), two-color double-fs-pulse experiments were performed on Titanium, Silicon and Fused Silica. For that purpose a Mach–Zehnder interferometer generated polarization controlled (parallel or cross-polarized) double-pulse sequences at 400 nm and 800 nm wavelength, with inter-pulse delays up to a few picoseconds. Multiple of these two-color double-pulse sequences were collinearly focused by a spherical mirror to the sample surfaces. The fluence of each individual pulse (400 nm and 800 nm) was always kept below its respective ablation threshold and only the joint action of both pulses lead to the formation of LIPSS. Their resulting characteristics (periods, areas) were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The periods along with the LIPSS orientation allow a clear identification of the pulse which dominates the energy coupling to the material. For strong absorbing materials (Silicon, Titanium), a wavelength-dependent plasmonic mechanism can explain the delay-dependence of the LIPSS. In contrast, for dielectrics (Fused Silica) the first pulse always dominates the energy deposition and LIPSS orientation, supporting a non-plasmonic formation scenario. For all materials, these two-color experiments confirm the importance of the ultrafast energy deposition stage for LIPSS formation.
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) upon irradiation of fused silica and silicon with multiple (NDPS) irradiation sequences consisting of linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse pairs (pulse duration ~150 fs, central wavelength ~800 nm) is studied experimentally. Nearly equal-energy double-pulse sequences are generated allowing the temporal pulse delay Δt between the cross-polarized individual fs-laser pulses to be varied from -40 ps to +40 ps with a resolution of ~0.2 ps. The surface morphologies of the irradiated surface areas are characterized by means of scanning electron and scanning force microscopy. Particularly for dielectrics in the sub-ps delay range striking differences in the orientation and spatial characteristics of the LIPSS can be observed. For fused silica, a significant decrease of the LIPSS spatial periods from ~790 nm towards ~550 nm is demonstrated for delay changes of less than ~2 ps. In contrast, for silicon under similar irradiation conditions, the LIPSS periods remain constant (~760 nm) for delays up to 40 ps. The results prove the impact of laser-induced electrons in the conduction band of the solid and associated transient changes of the optical properties on fs-LIPSS formation.
The study of laser-fabricated periodic nanostructures is one of the leading topics of today’s photonics research. Such structures on the surface of metals, semiconductors, dielectrics, or polymers can generate new material properties with special functionalities. Depending on the specific material parameters and the morphology of the structures, new devices such as microlasers, optical nanoswitches, optical storage devices, sensors or antifraud features can be realized. Furthermore, laser-generated surface textures can be used to improve the tribological properties of surfaces in contact and in relative motion—to reduce friction losses or wear, to modify the wettability or the cell and biofilm growth properties of surfaces through bioinspired laser engineering, for emerging medical applications, or as decoration elements for the refinement of precious goods.
This Special Issue “Laser-Generated Periodic Nanostructures” focuses on the latest experimental and theoretical developments and practical applications of laser-generated periodic structures that can be generated in a “self-organized” way (laser-induced periodic surface structures, LIPSS, ripples) or via laser interference-based direct ablation (often referred to as direct laser interference patterning, DLIP). We aimed to attract both academic and industrial researchers in order to collate the current knowledge of nanomaterials and to present new ideas for future applications and new technologies. By 8 August 2021, 22 scientific articles have been published in the Special Issue, see www.mdpi.com/journal/nanomaterials/special_issues/laser-generated_periodic.
Effects of laser-induced periodic surface structures on the superconducting properties of Niobium
(2020)
It is well known that the use of ultrashort (fs) pulsed lasers can induce the generation of (quasi-) periodic nanostructures (LIPSS, ripples) on the surface of many materials. Such nanostructures have also been observed in sample’s surfaces irradiated with UV lasers with a pulse duration of 300 ps. In this work, we compare the characteristics of these nanostructures on 1-mm and on 25-μm thick niobium sheets induced by 30 fs n-IR and 300 ps UV pulsed lasers. In addition to conventional continuous or burst mode processing configurations, two-dimensional laser beam and line scanning modes have been investigated in this work. The latter allows the processing of large areas with a more uniform distribution of nanostructures at the surface. The influence of the generated nanostructures on the superconducting properties of niobium has also been explored. For this aim, magnetic hysteresis loops have been measured at different cryogenic temperatures to analyse how these laser treatments affect the flux pinning behaviour and, in consequence, the superconductor’s critical current values. It was observed that laser treatments are able to modify the superconducting properties of niobium samples.