Group Seminar at MPQ: On the use of UV femtosecond lasers for glass machining

Luca Muscarella, Cambridge University
Group seminar at MPQ lecture hall (B0.32!!) and zoom
Thursday, December 15th 2022, 09:00am (MEZ)

Abstract:
Three-dimensional micro-manufacturing of fused silica via laser-exposure combined with an etching step has become an established technique for producing complex three-dimensional components finding numerous applications in a variety of fields, ranging from fluidics to micro-mechanics, including precision components and optical elements, and more recently for high-precision moulds. UV machining is more expensive but can achieve better results, since the focal spot size depends on the wavelength. During my summer internship at EPFL, I explored how this manufacturing method could be further optimized, not only in terms of minimum feature sizes, but also in terms of surface quality and aspect ratio, which is typically governed by the etching contrast between laser-exposed zones and pristine ones. Specifically, I investigated the effect of the laser wavelength on etching speed and roughness in different exposure dose regimes.