KrF pulsed laser ablation of polyimide

In the present paper, polyimide surfaces were processed with pulsed KrF laser radiation at fluences near the ablation threshold. The morphology of the processed surfaces was studied by scanning electron microscopy and chemical analyses performed by electron dispersive spectroscopy. The formation of conical structures was observed for radiation fluences lower than 0.5 J/cm². The areal density of cones increases with the number of pulses and decreases with the radiation fluence. At low fluences (<150 J/cm²), cones are formed due to shadowing by calcium phosphate impurities while for higher fluences the main mechanism of cones formation is believed to be radiation hardening.     

Influence of circuit and UV prioniser parameters on the performance of a discharge pumped KrF laser

The influence of the preioniser and main discharge circuit parameters on the performance of a high pressure UV preionised KrF laser using NF₃ as the fluorine donor has been investigated. Output laser energy densities of 1.7J·1⁻¹ based on the mode volume have been obtained under optimised conditions.     

序列脉冲激光在不同大气模型下的热晕效应研究

考虑到大气中吸收系数随高度变化,通过内插法得到不同大气模型一定高度下大气的吸收系数,建立序列脉冲激光在地对空垂直传输的热晕模型。通过数值计算方法分析风场渡越时间内脉冲数为2时的序列脉冲在中纬度地区夏季和冬季、热带地区、近北极地区夏季和冬季5种大气模型下的热晕效应。结果表明:当光束孔径为0.25 m,初始功率为200 kW,波形为高斯状的激光束在近北极冬季传输10 km后沿横轴方向光强峰值偏移0.056 9 m,而热带光强峰值强度偏移最远为0.224 m,为近北极冬季时的4倍;脉冲激光在热带传输10 km后的靶面功率仅为15.06 kW,近北极冬季靶面功率为热带的10.5倍。热带地区的热晕效应最明显,中纬度地区次之,近北极地区最弱。激光在夏季传输要比冬季传输的热晕效应严重,而且近北极地区夏季要比中纬度地区冬季的热晕效应更严重。     

Study of the structure and parameters of a KrF excimer laser beam

For a KrF excimer laser with a confocal unstable resonator, energy distribution over the beam cross-section was measured with the aid of luminescence in the glass induced by the UV laser radiation. A complex fine structure of the beam has been found. In an area close to the focus, measurements were carried out by means of two different methods??via thermal paper blackening and via ablation craters on a glass surface. The complex beam structure above has been shown to persist also in the immediate vicinity of the beam waist. Measured cross-sectional waist dimensions varied significantly within a range from 0.3 to 0.6?C1.3 mrad depending on the measuring procedure applied. Using a short-focus nonaberrational lens one could obtain a focal spot with linear dimensions of several tens of micrometers.     

Photoluminescence of traces of aromatic compounds in aqueous solutions upon excitation by a repetitively pulsed laser

A method is suggested for quantitative and qualitative analysis of aromatic compounds in water at extremely low concentrations (<1 ng/l). The method is based on excitation of luminescence by short (20 ns) UV laser pulses with a peak power of 10⁴ W at 255.3 nm and a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz. The shape of luminescence spectra of benzene, benzoic acid, saccharin, aspirin, and L-tryptophan at low concentrations in water is analyzed. The luminescence kinetics of these compounds is studied at short delay times (10–20 ns). The lifetimes of the electronic excited states of the aromatic compounds are measured. The applications of the method for studies of low-concentration aqueous solutions of biological and medicine compounds are analyzed.     

宽带KrF激光泵浦SBS的研究

 理论和实验研究了宽带（15GHz）KrF激光泵浦的受激布里渊散射（SBS）在SF₆介质中的转换效率和脉宽压缩比的规律。介质在1.6MPa、透镜焦距为15cm和30cm时,测得SBS最大反射率分别为40%和45%,当泵浦能量大于60mJ时SBS反射率开始趋于平坦;介质在0.85MPa、透镜焦距在30cm时,SBS脉宽压缩比随泵浦能量的上升而下降,最大压缩比为5。建立了宽带多模KrF激光泵浦的SBS理论模型,假设宽带KrF激光光谱谱线由若干窄带谱线组成,这些窄带谱线之间在产生SBS过程中有一定程度的耦合。给出了理论模型结果,并与实验结果进行了比较。     

高功率环形激光二极管阵列重复脉冲抽运激光器中棒的瞬态温度分布

 采用光线追迹方法和有限元方法,对高功率环形激光二极管阵列（LDA）重复脉冲抽运Nd:YAG激光器中,棒的瞬态温度分布进行了详细的计算模拟,分析比较了不同抽运阶段、抽运频率及占空比的情况下棒内的瞬态温度分布。结果表明：高功率环形LDA重复脉冲抽运时,棒中心处温度随时间变化成锯齿形分布,棒内温度随抽运频率和占空比的增大而增大,最后温度随时间成周期性变化。     

宽带KrF激光泵浦SBS的研究

理论和实验研究了宽带（15GHz）KrF激光泵浦的受激布里渊散射（SBS）在SF6介质中的转换效率和脉宽压缩比的规律。介质在1.6MPa、透镜焦距为15cm和30cm时,测得SBS最大反射率分别为40%和45%,当泵浦能量大于60mJ时SBS反射率开始趋于平坦;介质在0.85MPa、透镜焦距在30cm时,SBS脉宽压缩比随泵浦能量的上升而下降,最大压缩比为5。建立了宽带多模KrF激光泵浦的SBS理论模型,假设宽带KrF激光光谱谱线由若干窄带谱线组成,这些窄带谱线之间在产生SBS过程中有一定程度的耦合。给出了理论模型结果,并与实验结果进行了比较。     

Accelerated ageing of wood Kraft insulating paper by means of a pulsed KrF excimer laser radiation

We report on the successful use of a KrF excimer laser as a highly promising tool to investigate the accelerated ageing of wood Kraft papers used as insulating components in high-voltage power transformers. The effects of varying both the laser repetition rate (5 to 180 Hz) and the laser energy density (0.02 to 0.11 Jcm^-2) on the degradation of wood Kraft paper in air were systematically investigated. During the laser irradiation experiments, the temperature of the paper samples was real-time measured by means of an IR camera. It is shown that the ageing temperature of the paper can be controlled very precisely by simply adjusting the laser parameters. Indeed, levelling-off temperatures in the 25–320 °C range can be reached after only 3 s of laser exposure, by either varying the repetition rate at a fixed energy density or changing the laser fluence at a given pulse rate. By performing both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and measurements of the degree of polymerization (DP_v) of the laser irradiated paper samples, we were able to demonstrate that the laser irradiation induces a very rapid degradation of the paper samples (typical laser exposure times are around 35 s to be compared with 10 days for standard dynamic heating based ageing tests). Both the DP_v of the irradiated paper samples and the average width of the corresponding cellulose fibers as measured from SEM micrographs, are shown to reduce by about 50% following their laser heating at 320 °C for 35 s of exposure time. It is pointed out that the observed laser-induced degradation is predominantly a photothermal process. Finally, by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), we were able to show that low molecular weight compounds such as acetaldehyde, methyl formate, acetone, and methanol are produced not only by the laser ageing process but also in real on-field transformers that underwent a severe short-circuit. PACS 42.62.-b; 61.80.Ba; 83.80.Mc; 84.70.+p     

Gas density measurement of pulsed gas jets using XeF four-photon fluorescence induced by a KrF laser

The gas densities of two pulsed gas jets were measured together with spatial and temporal distributions by the XeF fluorescence induced by a KrF laser. The B-X and C-A transitions of XeF showed a biquadratic dependence on laser intensity when SF₆ was used as the F donor instead of F₂, and quadratic and cubic dependences on gas density, respectively.     

高功率环形激光二极管阵列重复脉冲抽运激光器中棒的瞬态温度分布

采用光线追迹方法和有限元方法,对高功率环形激光二极管阵列（LDA）重复脉冲抽运Nd:YAG激光器中,棒的瞬态温度分布进行了详细的计算模拟,分析比较了不同抽运阶段、抽运频率及占空比的情况下棒内的瞬态温度分布。结果表明：高功率环形LDA重复脉冲抽运时,棒中心处温度随时间变化成锯齿形分布,棒内温度随抽运频率和占空比的增大而增大,最后温度随时间成周期性变化。     

Design and experimental characterisation of a DC-excited CW/repetitively pulsed sealed off CO2 laser

This paper reports the design procedure and experimental study of a sealed off CO₂ laser. Simple algorithms for threshold and steady state excitation voltage calculation, resonator design and its temperature dependent operation are presented. The sealed off CO₂ laser was operated both in CW and pulsed modes and found stable both thermodynamically and optically. Frequency limits for pulsed operation regarding maximum and minimum output energy ranges are determined. Different aspects of CO₂ laser studied include threshold excitation voltages, temperature dependent efficiency, optical power saturation limitations, pulsed and steady state discharge currents for optimum gases mixture combinations. The laser has successfully been constructed, operated and tested for different applications within the limits of its maximum output power of 14 W.     

Optical characteristics of a repetitively pulsed low-pressure discharge in a krypton-freon-12 mixture

Results of a study of the plasma radiation of a repetitively pulsed discharge in a Kr/CF₂ Cl₂ mixture (P≤1.5 kPa) in the 130–300 nm spectral range are presented. Spatial, spectral, and temporal characteristics of the discharge are studied in a spherical anode-plane cathode system, in which the repetitively pulsed mode is established due to the evolving instability of the glow discharge. It is demonstrated that a discharge of this type can be used for the development of a repetitively pulsed low-pressure bactericidal lamp which emits in the band system of KrCl (222 nm) and Cl₂ (257, 200 nm) in the 180–270 nm spectral range.     

A conceptual design of a high-efficiency rep-rated pulsed power system for KrF laser drivers of inertial fusion energy

A conceptual design of a high efficiency, high repetition-rated (rep-rated) pulsed power system for an electron-beam (e-beam) pumped KrF laser driver for inertial fusion energy (IFE) is presented. The proposed pulsed power circuit incorporates linear induction voltage adders to charge pulse forming lines for the generation of 900 kV, 260 ns e-beamsat several Hz. This rep-rated power system meets the pulsed power requirements of the future IFE drivers that necessitate high amplifier efficiency as well as high laser energy. Received: 3 March 2000 / Published online: 16 June 2000     

KrF pulsed laser deposition of chromium oxide thin films from Cr8O21 targets

Chromium oxides, Cr_xO_y, are of great interest due to the wide variety of their technological applications. Among them, CrO₂ has been extensively investigated in recent years because it is an attractive compound for use in spintronic heterostructures. However, its synthesis at low temperatures has been a difficult task due to the metastable nature of this oxide. This is indeed essential to ensure interface quality and the ability to coat thermal-sensitive materials such as those envisaged in spintronic devices. Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a technique that has the potential to meet the requirements stated above. In this work, we describe our efforts to grow chromium oxide thin films by PLD from Cr₈O₂₁ targets, using a KrF excimer laser. The as-deposited films were investigated by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Structural and chemical composition studies showed that the films consist of a mixture of amorphous chromium oxides exhibiting different stoichiometries depending on the processing parameters, where nanocrystals of mainly Cr₂O₃ are dispersed. The analyses do not exclude the possibility of co-deposition of Cr₂O₃ and a low fraction of CrO₂. PACS 81.15.Fg; 75.50.Dd     

Submicron-resolution ablation with a KrF excimer laser beam patterned with a projection lens

A mask projection system working with KrF laser radiation is described. This system produces microscopic laser beams able to pattern gratings on the surface of various materials in the micrometer range by direct etching. Models have been developed to simulate the beam intensity profile on the sample. Various polymers have been irradiated, and their experimental profiles are compared with theoretical ones. Different ablation behaviors have been evidenced. Interesting consequences of thermal effects at this submicron scale are reported.     

Projection-patterned etching of silicon in chlorine atmosphere with a KrF excimer laser

The formation of relief features in silicon by a one-step process that avoids resist patterning has been achieved by laser-projection-patterned etching in a chlorine atmosphere. Etching is performed with a pulsed KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm, τ=15 ns) and deep UV projection optics having an optical resolution of 2 μm. Etching takes place in two steps. Between laser pulses, the silicon surface is covered with a monolayer of chemisorbed chlorine atoms (one Cl per Si). During the laser pulse, surface transient heating at temperatures in excess of 1250 K results in the desorption of the reaction products (mainly SiCl₂). At laser energy densities that induce surface melting, this desorption results in a saturated etch. rate of 0.06 nm per pulse, corresponding to the removal of about 0.5 Si monolayer per pulse. At densities below the melting threshold, reduced thermal and possibly a small amount of photochemical etching result in lower etch rates. Projection of a resolution test photomask onto the silicon surface shows that the size of etched features differs from the size of the projected features and strongly depends on the laser energy density. As a result of the heat spread in silicon and of the highly nonlinear character of the etching reaction, etched features smaller than the irradiated area are obtained at all fluences in the range 350–700 mJ/cm². Etched lines having a width down to about 1.3 μm were produced. Proximity effects due to heat spread were also evidenced for small projected features (<4 μm). The characteristics of the etched patterns are compared with those obtained for GaAs etching in chlorinated gases with the same experimental set-up. Significant differences in pattern resolution for Si and GaAs etching are observed. This variation in resolution is believed to result from the fact that Si has a greater thermal diffusivity than GaAs.