Interaction of intense ulrashort light pulses with transparent materials reveal new interesting properties and phenomena. Recent demonstrations of 3D nanoripple formation, self-assembled form birefringency and ultrafast laser calligraphy are reviewed

Beresna, M.

Hirao, K.

Kazansky, P.G.

Shimotsuma, Y.

English

Southampton (e-Prints Soton)

Recent advances in ultrafast laser processing of transparent materials  Peter G. Kazansky1, Martynas Beresna1, Yasuhiko Shimotsuma2, Kazuyuki Hirao2      1Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK 2Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan 615-8510 E-mail: pgk@orc.soton.ac.uk  Abstract: Interaction of intense ulrashort light pulses with transparent materials reveal new interesting properties and phenomena. Recent demonstrations of 3D nanoripple formation,  self-assemled form birefringency and  ultrafast laser calligraphy are reviewed.                                      Recent advances in ultrafast laser processing of transparent materials  Peter G. Kazansky1, Martynas Beresna1, Yasuhiko Shimotsuma2, Kazuyuki Hirao2      1Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK 2Department of Material Chemistry, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan 615-8510 E-mail: pgk@orc.soton.ac.uk  Modification of transparent materials with ultrafast lasers has attracted considerable interest due to a wide range of applications including laser surgery, integrated optics, 3D micro- and nano-structuring  [1].Three different types of material modifications can be induced with ultrafast laser irradiation in the bulk of a transparent material, silica glass in particular: an isotropic refractive index change (type 1); a form birefringence associated with self-assembled nanogratings and negative refractive index change (type 2) [2-6]; and a void (type 3). In fused silica the transition from type 1 to type 2 and finally to type 3 modification is observed with an increase of fluence. Recently, a remarkable phenomenon in ultrafast laser processing of transparent materials has been reported manifesting itself as a change in material modification by reversing the writing direction [7]. The phenomenon has been interpreted in terms of anisotropic plasma heating  produced by a tilted intensity front of the ultrashort laser pulse. Moreover a change in structural modification has been demonstrated in glass by controlling the direction of pulse front tilt, achieving a calligraphic style of laser writing which is similar in appearance to quill pen writing [8].  It has also been a common belief that in a homogeneous medium,  the photosensitivity and corresponding light-induced material modifications do not change on the reversal of light propagation direction. More recently it have observed that in a non-centrosymmetric medium, modification of the material can be different when light propagates in opposite directions (KaYaSo effect) [9]. Moreover a new phenomenon of ultrafast light blade, representing itself the first evidence  anisotropic synsetivity of isotropic medium to ultrashort pulse   laser irradiation has been recently discovered (Fig.1) [10].  We anticipate that the observed phenomena will open up new opportunities in laser material processing. References [1] R. R. Gattas and E. Mazur, “Femtosecond laser micromachining in transparent materials,” Nature Photonics 2, 219-225 (2008). [2] P.G. Kazansky et al. “Anomalous anisotropic light scattering in Ge-doped silica glass,” Phys. Rev Lett.,” 82, 2199 (1999) [3] Y. Shimotsuma, P. G. Kazansky, J. Qiu and K. Hirao, “Self-organized nanogratings in glass irradiated by ultrashort light pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 247705 (2003). [4] V. Bhardwaj, E. Simova, P. Rajeev, C. Hnatovsky, R. Taylor, D. Rayner and P. Corkum, “Optically produced arrays of planar nanostructures inside fused silica,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 057404-1 (2006).  [5]  M. Beresna  and P.G. Kazansky, “Polarization grating produced by femtosecond laser nanostructuring in glass”, to be published in Opt. Lett. (2010). [6] Y. Shimotsuma, M. Sakakura, P.G. Kazansky, M Beresna, J. Qiu, K. Miura, K. Hirao, “Ultrafast manipulation of self-assembled form birefringence in glass”, to be published in Advanced Materials (2010). [7] P. G. Kazansky et al. “Quill" writing with ultrashort light pulses in transparent materials,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 151120 (2007). [8] W. Yang et. al. “Ultrashort-pulse laser calligraphy,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 171109 (2008). [9] W. Yang, P. G. Kazansky and Yu. P. Svirko, “Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing,” Nature Photonics, 2, 99-105 (2008). [10]  P. G. Kazansky, Y. Shimotsuma,  M. Sakakura, M. Beresna, Yu. Svirko, S. Akturk, J. Qiu, K. Miura and K. Hirao, “Photosensitivity control of isotropic medium by light polarization: Ultrafast light blade”, submitted to Nature Photonics (2010).   Fig. 1. Images of modified regions in glass along beam propagation direction for writing beam polarised along (left) and perpendicular (right) to the pulse intensity front normal.  

Anomalous anisotropic light scattering in Ge-doped silica glass,” Phys.

Femtosecond laser micromachining in transparent materials,”

Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing,”

Optically produced arrays of planar nanostructures inside fused silica,”

Photosensitivity control of isotropic medium by light polarization: Ultrafast light blade”, submitted to Nature Photonics

Polarization grating produced by femtosecond laser nanostructuring

Quill&quot; writing with ultrashort light pulses in transparent materials,”

Self-organized nanogratings in glass irradiated by ultrashort light pulses,”

Ultrafast manipulation of self-assembled form birefringence in glass”, to be published in Advanced Materials

Ultrashort-pulse laser calligraphy,”

Recent advances in ultrafast laser processing of transparent materials

Recent advances in ultrafast laser processing of transparent materials

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