Abstract:
A method of pulsed laser processing of solid surface for enhancing surface hydrophobicity is disclosed wherein the solid surface is covered with a transparent medium during laser processing and the laser beam incidents through the covering medium and irradiates the solid surface. Two effects are obtained simultaneously. One is the laser-induced texture formation directly under the laser irradiation. The other is the deposition of the laser-removed materials along the laser scan lines. Both effects introduce surface roughness on nanometer scales, and both enhance surface hydrophobicity, rendering superhydrophobicity on the surfaces of both the laser-irradiated solid and the covering medium. Because the beam scan line spacing can be larger than a single scan line width by multiple times, this method provides a high processing speed of square inch per minute and enables large area processing.
Abstract:
Various embodiments may be used for laser-based modification of target material of a workpiece while advantageously achieving improvements in processing throughput and/or quality. Embodiments of a method of processing may include focusing and directing laser pulses to a region of the workpiece at a pulse repetition rate sufficiently high so that material is efficiently removed from the region and a quantity of unwanted material within the region, proximate to the region, or both is reduced relative to a quantity obtainable at a lower repetition rate. Embodiments of an ultrashort pulse laser system may include a fiber amplifier or fiber laser. Various embodiments are suitable for at least one of dicing, cutting, scribing, and forming features on or within a semiconductor substrate. Workpiece materials may include metals, inorganic or organic dielectrics, or any material to be micromachined with femtosecond, picosecond, and/or nanosecond pulses.
Abstract:
A method of forming patterns on transparent substrates using a pulsed laser is disclosed. Various embodiments include an ultrashort pulsed laser, a substrate that is transparent to the laser wavelength, and a target plate. The laser beam is guided through the transparent substrate and focused on the target surface. The target material is ablated by the laser and is deposited on the opposite substrate surface. A pattern, for example a gray scale image, is formed by scanning the laser beam relative to the target. Variations of the laser beam scan speed and scan line density control the material deposition and change the optical properties of the deposited patterns, creating a visual effect of gray scale. In some embodiments patterns may be formed on a portion of a microelectronic device during a fabrication process. In some embodiments high repetition rate picoseconds and nanosecond sources are configured to produce the patterns.
Abstract:
A method for scribing transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create multiple scribe features with a single pass of the laser beam across the material, with at least one of the scribe features being formed below the surface of the material. This enables clean breaking of transparent materials at a higher speed than conventional techniques.
Abstract:
Embodiments described herein include a system for producing ultrashort tunable pulses based on ultra broadband OPA or OPG in nonlinear materials. The system parameters such as the nonlinear material, pump wavelengths, quasi-phase matching periods, and temperatures can be selected to utilize the intrinsic dispersion relations for such material to produce bandwidth limited or nearly bandwidth limited pulse compression. Compact high average power sources of short optical pulses tunable in the wavelength range of 1800 to 2100 nm and after frequency doubling in the wavelength range of 900 to 1050 nm can be used as a pump for the ultra broadband OPA or OPG. In certain embodiments, these short pump pulses are obtained from an Er fiber oscillator at about 1550 nm, amplified in Er fiber, Raman-shifted to 1800 to 2100 nm, stretched in a fiber stretcher, and amplified in Tm-doped fiber.
Abstract:
At least one embodiment includes a method for fabricating a catalyst comprising a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles, the nanoparticles comprising intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range superlattice crystal ordering. The method comprising the steps of: producing a bulk target of the intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range crystal ordering and submerging the target in a solvent. A pulsed laser is used to ablate bulk target material and to produce nanoparticle of the intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range crystal ordering. At least one embodiment includes a catalyst made with the method. The catalyst can exhibit some desirable properties. For example, the catalyst may remain suspended in solution, essentially without surface modification by ionic compounds. Furthermore, the concentration of elements other than those which comprise the solvent or the intermetallic compound may be less than about 1 ppm.
Abstract:
Methods for ultrashort pulse laser processing of optically transparent materials. A method for scribing transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create multiple scribe features with a single pass of the laser beam across the material, with at least one of the scribe features being formed below the surface of the material. Slightly modifying the ultrashort pulse laser processing conditions produces sub-surface marks. When properly arranged, these marks are clearly visible with side-illumination and not clearly visible without side-illumination. In addition, a method for welding transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create a bond through localized heating. The ultrashort pulse duration causes nonlinear absorption of the laser radiation, and the high repetition rate of the laser causes pulse-to-pulse accumulation of heat within the materials.
Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for spectral purity transfer between a radio frequency (RF) frequency spectral domain and a terahertz (THz) frequency spectral domain. The apparatus includes a first optical frequency comb (OFC) having a first operational frequency and a second OFC having a second operational frequency different from the first operational frequency. The apparatus further includes a THz oscillator, wherein the first OFC and the second OFC are locked with one another and the second OFC and the THz oscillator are locked with one another.
Abstract:
Examples of systems and methods for integrated photonic broadband microwave receivers and transceivers are disclosed based on integrated coherent dual optical frequency combs. In some cases, when the system is configured as a receiver, the microwave spectrum of the input signal can be sliced into several spectral segments for low-bandwidth detection and analysis. In some cases, when the system is configured as a transmitter, multiple radio frequency (RF) carriers can be generated, which can be coherently added or encoded independently for transmission of individual microwave bands. In some systems, the optics-related functionalities can be achieved via integrated optic technology, for example, based on silicon photonics, providing tremendous possibilities for mass-production with significantly reduced system footprint.
Abstract:
Examples of compact control electronics for precision frequency combs are disclosed. Application of digital control architecture in conjunction with compact and configurable analog electronics provides precision control of phase locked loops with reduced or minimal latency, low residual phase noise, and/or high stability and accuracy, in a small form factor.