脉冲压缩光栅的激光损伤机理及阈值提升技术研究进展

总结了激光辐射条件下脉冲压缩光栅的激光诱导损伤机理,探究了表面形貌、加工方式、结构缺陷以及表面污染等因素对光栅损伤造成的影响,从微观损伤机理的角度阐释了产生损伤的内在原因。在脉冲压缩光栅的激光预处理、加工工艺及表面污染物的去除等方面,分析了实现光栅损伤阈值提升的内在因素,给出了提升光栅损伤阈值的技术措施。根据影响光栅损伤阈值的因素,提出在光栅运行过程中采用多种措施组合的方式来提升光栅的激光诱导损伤阈值。脉冲压缩光栅激光损伤机理和阈值的研究对脉冲压缩光栅系统的稳定运行具有实践意义,为激光装置高能量密度的输出奠定基础。最后,提出了光栅激光诱导损伤研究的科学与技术问题,为脉冲压缩光栅激光诱导损伤阈值的提升提供新的思路,服务于重大科学装置和重要技术领域的发展。     

多层介质膜脉冲压缩光栅近场光学特性分析

利用傅里叶模式理论分析了TE波自准直角入射的使用条件下，多层介质膜光栅的光栅区和多层膜区电场分布的特点.分别讨论了HfO₂和SiO₂为顶层光栅材料时，光栅结构参数对光栅脊峰值电场的影响，结果表明，对于不同膜厚的顶层材料，存在一个最佳膜厚度，使光栅脊峰值电场最小，并且当膜厚增大时，设计大高宽比的光栅可以降低该电场峰值.最后，在大角度条件下使用多层膜光栅也可以降低光栅脊处的峰值电场. 关键词： 衍射光学 多层介质膜光栅 模式理论 损伤阈值     

Plasma-mediated ablation of brain tissue with picosecond laser pulses

Plasma-mediated ablations of brain tissue have been performed using picosecond laser pulses obtained from a Nd:YLF oscillator/regenerative amplifier system. The laser pulses had a pulse duration of 35 ps at a wavelength of 1.053 µm. The pulse energy varied from 90 µJ to 550 µJ at a repetition rate of 400 Hz. The energy density at the ablation threshold was measured to be 20 J/cm². Comparisons have been made to 19 ps laser pulses at 1.68 µm and 2.92 µm from an OPG/OPA system and to microsecond pulse trains at 2.94 µm from a free running Er:YAG laser. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were performed to judge the depth and the quality of the ablated cavities. No thermal damage was induced by either of the picosecond laser systems. The Er:YAG laser, on the other hand, showed 20 µm wide lateral damage zones due to the longer pulse durations and the higher pulse energies.     

Corrugated neat thin-film conjugated polymer distributed-feedback lasers

Wave-guided thin-film distributed-feedback (DFB) polymer lasers are fabricated by spin coating a PPV-derived semiconducting polymer, thianthrene-DOO-PPV, onto oxidised silicon wafers with corrugated second-order periodic gratings. The gratings are written by reactive ion beam etching. Laser action is achieved by transverse pumping with picosecond laser pulses (wavelength 347.15 nm, duration 35 ps). The DFB-laser surface emission and edge emission are analysed. Outside the grating region the polymer film is used for comparative wave-guided travelling wave laser (amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)) studies. The pump pulse threshold energy density for wave-guided DFB-laser action (4–9 μJ cm^-2) is found to be approximately a factor of two lower than the threshold for wave-guided travelling wave laser action. The spectral width of the DFB laser (down to Δλ_DFB≈0.07 nm) is considerably narrower than that of the travelling wave laser (Δλ_TWL≈14 nm). The DFB-laser emission is highly linearly polarised transverse to the grating axis (TE mode). Only at high pump pulse energy densities does an additional weak TM mode build up. The surface-emitted DFB-laser radiation has a low divergence along the grating direction. For both the DFB lasers and the travelling wave lasers, gain saturation occurs at high excitation energy densities. Received: 7 January 2002 / Revised version: 15 February 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002     

Effect of energy above laser-induced damage thresholds in the micromachining of silicon by femtosecond pulse laser

A 400 nm second harmonic Ti : sapphire femtosecond laser was applied to structure silicon base on a direct-write process in air. A series of lines were ablated with pulses of 300-fs duration at varying power densities ranging from 50 to 100 nJ of energy on 2″ silicon (1 1 1) wafers. In this event, we investigate and report extensive laser induced thermal damage and redeposition encompassing the ablated lines at high energy levels above the damage threshold of the silicon. In addition, the effect of polarisation on the direction of micromachining is also observed and discussed. The resolution and quality of these lines were also found to hold a linear relationship to the laser energy up to its thermal threshold limit.     

亚波长光栅偏振片的纳秒脉冲激光损伤特性

偏振片在诸多光学系统中有着重要的应用。亚波长介质光栅可用作正入射偏振片，在高能激光系统中有着广泛的应用前景。为了探究波长为1 064 nm的纳秒脉冲激光对于亚波长全介质光栅的诱导损伤特性，使用了粒子群优化算法结合严格耦合波分析设计了光栅的几何参数，计算表明亚波长光栅偏振片在入射光波长1 064 nm附近带宽0.5 nm内，平均消光比为1 500。使用了紫外曝光配合离子束刻蚀的工艺制备了HfO₂光栅，并对其纳秒脉冲激光损伤阈值进行了测试。测试结果表明S光损伤阈值约为P光损伤阈值的5倍，且都大于5 J/cm2。结果表明亚波长全介质光栅偏振片可广泛用于正入射激光系统中。     

Sub-wavelength surface structuring of NiTi alloy by femtosecond laser pulses

Generation of self-organized sub-wavelength surface structures on a nickel–titanium alloy plate by femtosecond laser pulses is investigated experimentally through line-scribing experiments in air. It is found that Bragg-like relief gratings, with the orientation perpendicular to the laser polarization, are formed over the entire laser-scribed regions. The average period is measured as 630±30 nm. Distinctive features of these novel surface structures include nanoparticle-covered grating ridges and the maintainable spatial period regardless of incidence angles. With different laser parameters and sample scan speeds, sub-wavelength grating structures can evolve into cellular-like nanotextures. Optimal conditions for forming these surface structures are determined in terms of laser energy and scan speed. Elementary analyses of the structured surfaces by X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy reveal that both the crystal structures and the chemical elements can remain in their original states, but the surface grains are refined and the atomic percentages are varied after femtosecond laser treatments.     

多层介质膜光栅激光预处理

 在N-on-1测试模式下研究了多层介质膜光栅的激光预处理效应。实验发现,激光预处理之后多层介质光栅膜的阈值能提高到处理前阈值的1.5~2.0倍。预处理机制可能是低能量密度激光辐照减少了光栅表面的污染物并降低了光栅表面的粗糙度。激光预处理可以作为优化光栅结构、酸洗等一系列提高多层介质膜光栅阈值方法的一个补充。     

双光栅夹有机溶液构成的宽带光限幅器

提出一种新光限幅器件并给出初步的实验验证。该器件是将非线笥有机溶液夹在两块不同的浮周型透射光栅之间构成的。     

Distributed feedback dye laser holographically induced in improved organic–inorganic photocurable nanocomposites

Distributed feedback (DFB) lasing in permanent volume transmission gratings formed in a laser dye-doped organic–inorganic nanocomposite has been investigated. DFB laser cavities were fabricated using one-step two-beam holographic exposure of Pyrromethene 567 (PM567) doped photopolymerizable acrylate monomers containing inorganic (LaPO₄) nanoparticles. Compared to the formulation previously utilized, the material composition presented provides longer lifetime of the laser. Spectral and polarization properties, input–output and stability characteristics of the laser output have been investigated by varying the material composition and the patterning parameters. DFB lasing emission of the second and the third diffraction orders has been demonstrated. The spectral linewidth of ∼0.08 nm has been observed at a pump energy threshold of about 0.2 μJ/pulse for the second-order DFB lasing when pumped with 532 nm 500 ps laser pulses. Spectral tuning of the lasing output over ∼56 and ∼7 nm was obtained by varying the grating period and the content of inorganic nanoparticles in the polymer matrix, respectively.     

HfO_2/SiO_2高反射膜的缺陷及其激光损伤

用原子力、Normaski和扫描电子显微镜等分析仪器 ,对高损伤阈值薄膜常采用的 Hf O2 /Si O2 薄膜进行了表面显微图象研究 ,分析了薄膜常见的表面缺陷 ,如节瘤 ,孔洞和划痕等。薄膜表面缺陷的激光损伤实验表明 ,不同缺陷的抗激光损伤能力大不相同 ,节瘤缺陷最低 ,约为 1 5 J/ cm2 ,薄膜的损伤阈值主要由其决定 ,孔洞的激光损伤能力与节瘤相比较高 ,约为节瘤的 2～ 3倍。节瘤缺陷在低能量密度的激光损伤所形成的孔洞 ,与镀制过程中形成的孔洞形貌相似 ,激光再损伤能力也相似。低能量密度的激光把节瘤缺陷变为孔洞缺陷是激光预处理提高薄膜损伤阈值的原因之一     

HfO2／SiO2高反射膜的缺陷及其激光损伤

用原子力、Normaski和扫描电子显微镜等分析仪器,对高损伤阈值薄膜常采用HfO2/SiO2薄膜进行了表面显微图象研究,分析了薄膜常见的表面缺陷,如节瘤,孔洞和划痕等。薄膜表面缺陷的激光损伤实验表明,不同缺陷的抗激光损伤能力不大相同。节瘤缺陷最低,约为15J/cm^2,薄膜的损伤阈值主要由其决定,孔洞的激光损伤能力与节瘤相比较高,约为节瘤的2－3倍。节瘤缺陷在低能量密度的激光损伤所形成的孔洞,与镀制过程中形成的孔洞形貌相似,激光再损伤能力也相似。低能量密度的激光把瘤缺陷变为孔洞缺陷是激光预处理提高薄膜损伤阈值的原因之一。     

Ripple formation in the chromium thin film during laser ablation

The beam of a nanosecond pulse laser tightly focused to a line was applied for the back-side ablation of the chromium thin film on a glass substrate. The stripe ablated with a single laser pulse had sharp edges on both sides and ridges of the melted metal around it. The partially overlapping pulses formed a wide cleaned area with a complicated structure made of the metal remaining from the ridges. Regular structures, ripples, were developed when laser fluence was slightly above the single-pulse removal threshold and the shift between pulses was less than half width of the line ablated with a single laser pulse. The ripples were located periodically (∼4 μm) and were orientated perpendicularly to the long axis of the beam spot. Their orientation did not depend on the laser beam polarization. Different models of the ripple formation in the thin metal film were considered, and instability of the moving vapor-liquid-solid contact line during evaporation of thin liquid films appears to be the most probable process responsible for the observed phenomena. Formation of regular gratings with the unlimited line length was experimentally implemented by using the above-mentioned technique.     

The influence of thermal diffusion on laser ablation of metal films

Single-shot ablation thresholds of nickel and gold films in the thickness range from 50 nm to 7 m have been measured for 14 ns laser pulses at 248 nm, using photoacoustic shock wave detection in air. The metal films were deposited on fused silica substrates. The ablation threshold was found to increase linearly with film thickness up to the thermal diffusion length of the film. Beyond this point it remains independent of film thickness. The proportionality between threshold fluence and thickness allows the prediction of ablation thresholds of metal films from the knowledge of their optical properties, evaporation enthalpies and thermal diffusivities. Physically it proves that ablation is driven by the energy density determined by the thermal diffusion length. A simple thermodynamic model describes the data well. Thermal diffusivities, an essential input for this model, were measured using the technique of transient thermal gratings. In addition, the substrate dependence of the ablation threshold was investigated for 150 nm Ni films.     

波段外脉冲激光对锗透镜热冲击效应的数值与实验研究

基于热传导及热弹性力学的基本关系式,建立了激光辐照锗透镜的热力耦合数学物理模型,对瞬态热传导方程和应力平衡方程进行有限元数值求解,得到了锗透镜的温度场和应力场分布,并利用波长1.06 μm,脉冲宽度10 ns的Nd∶YAG脉冲激光对锗透镜进行了热冲击实验研究.数值分析表明,热应力损伤在锗透镜的脉冲强激光损伤中占据主导地位,在短脉冲激光辐照下,锗透镜出现热应力损伤的激光能量密度小于出现熔融损伤的激光能量密度,热应力损伤主要集中在光斑中心区域并体现为压应力损伤,将使材料表面出现裂纹或剥落,实验结果与数值分析基本相符.     

基于飞秒激光微加工的介质膜损伤修复研究

针对波长1053 nm, 0°高反介质膜元件, 采用有限时域差分法, 模拟分析了损伤修复点边缘与法线的夹角对膜层内电场强度分布的影响, 该角度越小, 修复点的损伤阈值越高. 通过优化飞秒激光微加工过程中的焦斑尺寸、脉冲能量、扫描步长和扫描次数等参数, 获得了夹角为25°、深度为14 μm的修复点. 该修复点典型的损伤阈值为21 J/cm², 是修复前的2.3倍, 50个修复点的测试结果表明该修复参数具有非常好的可重复性. 修复点的测试结果还验证了修复点边缘与法线的夹角大小与其损伤阈值的关系, 45°的电场强度最大值约为25°的2.5倍, 而45°的损伤阈值约为25°的1/2, 模拟和实验结果一致性较好. 同时, 实验验证了微加工的激光脉宽对修复点损伤阈值的影响, 在只改变脉宽的情况下, 脉宽越长, 损伤阈值越低.     

Atomic force microscopical and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopical investigation of sub-micrometer metal gratings generated by UV laser-based two-beam interference in Au-Ag bimetallic layers

Metal films containing silver and gold layers having different thicknesses were evaporated on glass substrates. Two-beam interference technique was applied to irradiate the surfaces by the fourth harmonic of a pulsed mode Nd:YAG laser. The atomic force microscopical study showed that surface relief grating having a period of 900 nm corresponding to the interference pattern was developed on the metallic films. The modulation amplitude of the laser-induced gratings was increasable by enhancing the number of laser pulses at constant fluence, and a groove depth commensurable with the film thicknesses was generated at the average fluence of 39.5 mJ/cm² on bimetallic layers. The surface structure was more regular, and the modulation amplitude was larger in case of bimetallic films containing thicker gold layers. The threshold fluences of the phase transitions were determined by numerical temperature model calculations for different metal layer compositions, and a good agreement was found between the calculated and experimentally observed threshold values. The division of the metal stripes into droplets and the development of holes were explained by the melting of the entire metal layers and by the vaporization of silver at higher fluences. The angle-dependent surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy realized in Kretschmann arrangement proved that the laser-induced grating formation was accompanied by the change in the optical thickness and by the modification of the structure of the bimetallic films. Broad side wings appeared on the resonance curves caused by grating-coupling in case of appropriate rotation angle and sufficiently large modulation depth of the grating's grooves, according to our calculations. The coupling on deep gratings developed on bimetallic films containing the thinnest gold layer and on monometallic silver films resulted in separated secondary resonance minimum development. The periodic adherence of native streptavidin on the metallic gratings was detected by tapping mode AFM, and based on the shift of the secondary resonance peak.     

Optical performance and laser induced damage threshold improvement of diffraction gratings used as compressors in ultra high intensity lasers

This paper studies gratings engraved in a multilayer dielectric stack for ultra high intensity laser compressors. A metal layer is inserted between the substrate and the dielectric stack to reduce the number of dielectric bilayers and thus the mechanical stress within the stack. A code taking account the fluctuation range of the geometrical parameters during the fabrication process is used to numerically optimize the mirror stack and study different groove profiles to increase the reflected efficiency and the laser induced damage threshold. It is evidenced that of all the profiles leading to good diffraction performances, those with the greatest groove depth and width values result in the smallest enhancement of the electric field square inside the grating with a decrease by a factor close to 2.5.     

Femtosecond laser induced index and relief gratings in polymer films

A true single-step process suitable for fabrication of micro-periodic structure in polymer films by two photon initiated photopolymerization and laser ablation is presented. By the right choice of the irradiation energy, the irradiated zone is modified or ablated in the 1.44-μm-thick film. The mechanism of grating generation and the potential application of the gratings in integrated optics are discussed.     

KDP晶体微纳加工表层杂质对其激光损伤阈值影响的有限元分析

 根据KDP晶体杂质附近的温度场及热应力场理论,分析了微纳加工表层杂质影响下晶体温度场及热应力场的分布情况,发现杂质离子对激光的强吸收作用是造成KDP晶体损伤的主要原因之一,也是影响KDP晶体激光损伤阈值的最主要因素。通过分析还发现杂质半径对晶体的激光损伤阈值也有影响,并得到一个有害的杂质半径,使得杂质吸收能量最多,温度最高。另外杂质种类及杂质含量的不同也会对晶体的激光损伤阈值产生影响。