Laser Induced Damage Studies in Borosilicate Glass Using nanosecond and sub nanosecond pulses

The damage mechanism induced by laser pulse of different duration in borosilicate glass widely used for making confinement geometry targets which are important for laser driven shock multiplication and elongation of pressure pulse, is studied. We measured the front and rear surface damage threshold of borosilicate glass and their dependency on laser parameters. In this paper, we also study the thermal effects on the damage diameters, generated at the time of plasma formation. These induced damage width, geometries and microstructure changes are measured and analyzed with optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that at low energies symmetrical damages are found and these damage width increases nonlinearly with laser intensity. The emitted optical spectrum during the process of breakdown is also investigated and is used for the characterization of emitted plasma such as plasma temperature and free electron density. Optical emission lines from Si I at 500 nm, Si II at 385nm and Si III at 455 nm are taken for the temperature calculations.Comment: 9 figures, 3 table

Surface texturing of CVD diamond assisted by ultrashort laser pulses

Diamond is a wide bandgap semiconductor with excellent physical properties which allow it to operate under extreme conditions. However, the technological use of diamond was mostly conceived for the fabrication of ultraviolet, ionizing radiation and nuclear detectors, of electron emitters, and of power electronic devices. The use of nanosecond pulse excimer lasers enabled the microstructuring of diamond surfaces, and refined techniques such as controlled ablation through graphitization and etching by two-photon surface excitation are being exploited for the nanostructuring of diamond. On the other hand, ultrashort pulse lasers paved the way for a more accurate diamond microstructuring, due to reduced thermal effects, as well as an effective surface nanostructuring, based on the formation of periodic structures at the nanoscale. It resulted in drastic modifications of the optical and electronic properties of diamond, of which “black diamond” films are an example for future high-temperature solar cells as well as for advanced optoelectronic platforms. Although experiments on diamond nanostructuring started almost 20 years ago, real applications are only today under implementation

Optimization of femtosecond laser processing in liquids

In this paper we analyze femtosecond laser processing of metals in liquids searching for optimal conditions for predictable ablation. Incident laser pulses are stretched or compressed, self-focused and scattered on bubbles and on surface waves in the liquid environment. Influence of these effects on the laser intensity distribution on the target surface is discussed and optimal processing parameters are suggested

Investigation of ultrafast laser photonic material interactions: challenges for directly written glass photonics

Currently, direct-write waveguide fabrication is probably the most widely studied application of femtosecond laser micromachining in transparent dielectrics. Devices such as buried waveguides, power splitters, couplers, gratings and optical amplifiers have all been demonstrated. Waveguide properties depend critically on the sample material properties and writing laser characteristics. In this paper we discuss the challenges facing researchers using the femtosecond laser direct-write technique with specific emphasis being placed on the suitability of fused silica and phosphate glass as device hosts for different applications.Comment: 11 pages, 87 references, 11 figures. Article in revie

Nanosecond UV laser-induced fatigue effects in the bulk of synthetic fused silica: a multi-parameter study

International audienceMultiple-pulse S-on-1 laser damage experiments were carried out in the bulk of synthetic fused silica at 355 nm and 266 nm. Two beam sizes were used for each wavelength and the pulse duration was 8 ns. The results showed a fatigue effect that is due to cumulative material modifications. The modifications have a long lifetime and the fatigue dynamics are independent of the used beam sizes but differ for the two wavelengths. Based on the fact that, in the context of material-modification induced damage, the damage thresholds for smaller beams are higher than for larger beams, we discuss possible mechanisms of damage initiation

Spallative ablation of dielectrics by X-ray laser

Short laser pulse in wide range of wavelengths, from infrared to X-ray, disturbs electron-ion equilibrium and rises pressure in a heated layer. The case where pulse duration $\tau_L$ is shorter than acoustic relaxation time $t_s$ is considered in the paper. It is shown that this short pulse may cause thermomechanical phenomena such as spallative ablation regardless to wavelength. While the physics of electron-ion relaxation on wavelength and various electron spectra of substances: there are spectra with an energy gap in semiconductors and dielectrics opposed to gapless continuous spectra in metals. The paper describes entire sequence of thermomechanical processes from expansion, nucleation, foaming, and nanostructuring to spallation with particular attention to spallation by X-ray pulse