Dopant-induced excimer laser ablation of poly(tetrafluoroethylene)

Clean ablation of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) at etch rates in excess of 7µm/pulse has been achieved with an excimer laser using 308nm radiation and a 25 ns pulse width. This was accomplished by doping the ultraviolet-transparent PTFE polymer with polyimide. Ablation rates were investigated as a function of fluence in the range from 1 to 12J/cm² and dopant levels up to 15% (wt/wt). Results show that at a given fluence there exists an optimum absorption coefficient _max, for which maximum ablation rates are achieved. The value of _max was found to decrease with increasing fluence. The relationship between _max and fluence was determined from existing ablation rate models and found to compare favorably with empirical results.     

Processing of W/Si and Si/W bilayers and multilayers with single and multiple excimer-laser pulses

Interdiffusion phenomena, thermal damage and ablation of W/Si and Si/W bilayers and multilayers under XeCl-excimer laser (=308 nm) irradiation at fluences of 0.15, 0.3 and 0.6 J/cm² were studied. Samples were prepared by UHV e-beam evaporation onto oxidized Si. The thickness of W and Si layers and the total thickness of the structures were 1–20 nm and 40–100 nm, respectively. 1 to 300 laser pulses were directed to the same irradiation site. At 0.6 J/cm² the samples were damaged even by a single laser pulse. At 0.3 J/cm² WSi₂ silicide formation, surface roughening and ablation were observed. The threshold for significant changes depends on the number of pulses: it was between 3–10 pulses and 10–30 pulses for bilayers with W and Si surfaces, respectively, and more than 100 pulses for multilayers with the same total thickness of tungsten. At 0.15 J/cm² the periodicity of the multilayers was preserved. Temperature profiles in layered structures were obtained by numerical simulations. The observed differences of the resistance of various bilayers and multilayers against UV irradiation are discussed.     

Surface cleaning of metals by pulsed-laser irradiation in air

The surface-cleaning effect of metals was investigated using KrF-excimer-laser irradiation of metal surfaces in air. The laser-induced cleaning of copper, stainless steel and aluminum surfaces was studied. It is found that laser cleaning is an effective cleaning process for metals even if the metal surfaces are heavily contaminated. It is also found that short wavelength and pulse duration are necessary for laser surface-cleaning. The energy density of the laser pulse is an important parameter in the cleaning process. Low energy density results in a cleaner surface but a larger pulse number is required, whereas high energy density can achieve higher cleaning efficiency but the temperature rise can cause surface oxidation and secondary contamination. In contrast to the KrF-excimer-laser, the pulsed CO₂ laser is not effective in surface-cleaning. The mechanisms of laser cleaning may include laser photodecomposition, laser ablation and surface vibration due to the impact of the laser pulse. Laser cleaning provides a new dry process to clean different substrate surfaces and can replace the conventional wet cleaning processes such as ultrasonic cleaning with CFC and other organic solvents.     

Surface ablation by excimer laser irradiation of Ti and Ti6Al4V alloy

This paper presents the surface microstructure of Ti and Ti6Al4V alloy irradiated with a high output energy XeCl ( = 308 nm) excimer laser. The treatments are carried out on both materials at two beam fluences and the effects of single- and multiple-pulse irradiation are compared. The results of the scanning electron microscopy and of the X-ray diffraction techniques suggest the possible influence of both time-behaviour and energy fluence of the laser pulse on the relative weight of the ablation rate and of the reaction product deposition rate at the sample surface.     

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.     

80 A/cm2 electron beams from metal targets irradiated by KrCl and XeCl excimer lasers

Due to the growing demand for high-current and long-duration electron-beam devices, laser electron sources were investigated in our laboratory. Experiments on electron-beam generation and propagation from aluminium and copper targets illuminated by XeCl (308 nm) and KrCl (222 nm) excimer lasers, were carried out under plasma ignition due to laser irradiation. This plasma supplied a spontaneous accelerating electric field of about 370 kV/m without an external accelerating voltage. By applying the modified one-dimensional Poisson equation, we computed the expected current and we also estimated the plasma concentration during the accelerating process. At 40 kV of accelerating voltage, an output current pulse of about 80 A/cm² was detected from an Al target irradiated by the shorter wavelength laser.On leave from Institute of General Physics, Moscow, Russia     

Ablation of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) by 308, 222 and 193 nm excimer-laser radiation

Data on the ablation of Poly(Methyl MetAcylate) (PMMA) and Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl MetAcylate) (PHEMA) with 0%, 1% and 20% of Ethylene Glycol DiMethAcrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinking monomer by 193, 222 and 308 nm laser radiation are presented. Direct photoetching of PMMA at 308 nm is demonstrated for laser fluences ranging from 2 to 18 J/cm². The ablation rate of PHEMA is lower than the corresponding to PMMA and decreases when the amount of EGDMA increases. The determination of the absorbed energy density required to initiate significant ablation suggests that the photoetching mechanism is similar for all the polymers studied and is a function of the irradiation wavelength. The Beer-Lambert law, the Srinivasan, Smrtic and Babu (SSB) theory and the kinetic model of the moving interface are used to analyze the experimental results. It is shown that only the moving interface theory fits well the etch rate for all the selected polymers at the three radiation wavelengths.     

A thermal model for the ablation of polymers by lasers and high intensity ion pulses

The results for the ablation of polymers by High-Intensity Pulsed Ion Beams (HIPIB) as well as by laser pulses of different wavelengths and pulse widths are discussed. A thermal model is proposed that reproduces all available experimental data. An Arrhenius type relation is assumed for the ablation velocityw(T) =w ₀ exp (–T ₁/T). Once the two parametersw ₀ andT ₁ are known for a certain polymer the model allows one to predict the ablation rate as a function of laser wavelength, fluence, and pulse width and for HIPIB pulses.     

Experimental verification of a zero-dimensional model of the kinetics of XeCl* discharges by XeCl*(B)-, XeCl*(C)-, and Xe2Cl*-density measurements

Absolutely calibrated emission spectroscopy has been used to determine the particle number densities of XeCl^*(B), XeCl^*(C), and Xe₂Cl^* in a small scale Ne/Xe/HCl discharge with well-defined current and voltage pulses for a wide range of parameters. The measured particle number densities could be reproduced quite well by numerical model calculations using the rate-coefficient values of Quiñones et al. [1] for the quenching of XeCl^*(B,C) by Ne, Xe, and 2Xe, but 3.0 × 10^–31 cm⁶/s for the formation of Xe₂Cl^* by (Ne + Xe)-quenching. For the electron quenching, we recommend a rate coefficient value of 3.2 × 10^–8 cm³/s. From the equilibrium ratio of the particle number densities of XeCl^*(C) and XeCl^*(B), the energy separation between these states has been estimated to be 72 ± 33 cm^–1 with the B state placed above the C state.     

Imaging and analysis of photomechanical effects induced in water by high-power laser-target interaction

The kinetics of cavitation and associated photo-mechanical effects induced by underwater pulsed-laser irradiation of solid targets has been studied experimentally and analyzed with theoretical methods. A xenon-chloride excimer laser of 150 ns pulse duration has been utilized to produce ablation and local photofragmentation of artificial samples of hard tissues at fluences of 12–24 J/cm². The evolution of pressure wave and cavitation formations developing in the liquid from the target surface after laser irradiation has been observed with a time-resolved imaging technique employing a pump-probe laser arrangement. The analysis of experimental results has been performed by using the theoretical model of point explosion that has been successfully applied to fit the cavitation kinetics, providing also quantitative information on the energy transfer during photo-acoustic interactions.     

Space and time resolved discharge evolution of a large volume X-ray triggered XeCl laser system

The spatial distribution and the temporal development of the net gain have been measured in a ten liter active volume switchless discharge XeCl laser. The experimental results are compared with both zero-dimensional and two-dimensional kinetic code predictions. The comparison between the results of the kinetic codes and of some measurements relevant to the time-dependent discharge homogeneity allows a deeper insight into the influence of the streamer evolution on the discharge characteristics.ENEA StudentENEA Guest     

Determination of photoexcited carrier concentration and mobility in GaAs doping superlattices by hall effect measurements

The photo-Hall effect in a new type of periodicp-n doping multilayer structures (superlattices) of GaAs grown by molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated. In these space charge systems electrons and holes are separated in real space. As a consequence, large deviations from thermal equilibrium become quasi-stable. Carrier generation by optical absorption occurs in these doping superlattices even at photon energies far below the gap of the homogeneous semiconductor material. The photoexcitation results in a strong enhancement of the conductivityparallel to the layers and in a substantial photovoltaic response. An increase in carrierconcentration as well as an increase in carriermobility both contribute to the observed enhancement of the conductivity under excitation. The absolute values of changes in free-carrier concentration are very large due to the manyfold active layers of the structure. The measured free-carrier mobilities depend on the population of the multilayer system. A reduction in mobility as compared to bulk material is found to be more pronounced in weakly populated systems. This finding is caused by the larger weight of the boundary regions of the total active layers where the free-carrier density is lower than the density of ionized impurities resulting in an enhanced impurity scattering.     

Fast degradation of fullerenes by ultraviolet laser radiation

The first observation of fullerene C₆₀ ultraviolet photolysis in hexane solution was published two years ago [1]. Similar further experiments realized with an ultraviolet lamp and solar light gave inconsistent results with ambiguous interpretations. We report the unexpectedly fast and efficient degradation of the fullerenes in n-hexane solutions, induced by an XeCl-excimer laser. Well-defined experimental conditions and good reproducibility in these experiments allow us to estimate the minimal value of the quantum yield of fullerene photolysis.     

Experimental verification of a zero-dimensional model of the ionization kinetics of XeCl discharges

An improved 0-dimensional model for XeCl high-pressure glow discharges is presented. Calculated discharge voltages are compared with precise measurements at a small, very homogeneous discharge. Excellent agreement in a wide parameter field demonstrates that this model may serve as a reference for simpler models describing the ionization kinetics.     

Surface doping of semiconductors by pulsed-laser irradiation in reactive atmosphere

Intense pulsed-laser irradiation in a suitable chemical atmosphere can produce a significant incorporation of chemical species from the environment to the surface molten layer. This process has been used to produce p-n junctions in silicon and GaAs irradiated, respectively, in PCl₃ and SiH₄ atmospheres. A modelling of the incorporation process, taking into account the solid-liquid-solid transition of the surface layer, has been developed following both a numerical and a semi-analytical approach. The modelling of the doping process gives results in a reasonably good agreement with the experimental doping profiles, obtained by irradiating Si samples in PCl₃ atmosphere.     

Photochemical etching of GaAs with Cl2 induced by synchrotron radiation

The quality and efficiency of etching at room temperature is determined in the wavelength range from 105 nm to 300 nm by replicating a mask on a GaAs(100) wafer and by wavelength selection of synchrotron radiation with filters and a monochromator. A good anisotropy and selectivity is found for Cl₂ pressures from 10^–2 mbar up to 1.5 mbar, but above 3 mbar the selectivity is lost. Efficiencies for stimulation of the chlorination reaction and for desorption are separated and an optimal efficiency for stimulation of about 100 removed Ga and As atoms per photon is obtained around a wavelength of 122 nm at 1.5 mbar. Growth of reaction products on the surface occurs for short wavelengths and transport processes through layers up to a thickness of 350 nm are relevant. The efficiency and quality of etching can be improved by additional desorption with long wavelengths especially with lasers.     

Laser-reactive ablation deposition of silicon-nitride films

Silicon-nitride films were deposited on silicon waters by XeCl (308 nm) excimer-laser ablation of silicon in low-pressure (0.05–5 mbar) ammonia atmospheres. Series of 10 000 pulses at the repetition rate of 8 Hz were directed to the target surface. The fluence was set at about 5 J/cm². Pulse duration was about 30 ns. The deposited films were characterized by different techniques (X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, profilometry). Silicon-nitride films with thickness close to 1 m were obtained under specific experimental conditions.     

Laser projection-patterned etching of (100) GaAs by gaseous HCl and CH3Cl

Laser projection-patterned etching of GaAs in a HCl and CH₃Cl atmosphere performed using a pulsed KrF-excimer laser (=248 nm, =15 ns) and deep-UV projection optics (resolution 2 m) is reported. The etching process carried out in a vacuum system having a base pressure of 10^–6 mbar is shown to result from a purely thermochemical reaction. Etching takes place in two steps: (i) between the laser pulses, the etchant gas reacts with the GaAs surface-atomic layer to form chlorination products (mainly As and Ga monochlorides), (ii) local laser surface heating results in the desorption of these products allowing further reaction of the gas with the surface. The influence of the etching parameters (laser energy density, gas pressure and pulse repetition rate) on the etch rate and the morphology of the etched features was studied. Etch rates up to 0.15 nm per pulse, corresponding to the removal of 0.5 GaAs molecular layer, are achieved. The spatial resolution of the etching process is shown to be controlled by the heat spread in the semiconductor and by the nonlinear dependence of the etch rate on the surface temperature. As a result, etched features smaller or larger than the projected features of the photomask are achieved depending on the laser energy density. Etched lines having a width of 1.3 m were obtained at low fluences by the projection of 2 m wide lines onto the GaAs surface.     

Generation of high average power, 7.5-fs blue pulses at 5 kHz by adaptive phase control

The spectral width of a 5-kHz Ti:sapphire laser system was broadened by spectral control in a regenerative amplifier consisting of broadband chirped mirrors. The dispersion over the wide spectral range was compensated by a deformable mirror along with a genetic algorithm, resulting in a pulse width of 15 fs. The pulse width is the shortest, to our knowledge, in chirped pulse amplification systems with a regenerative amplifier. The phase distortion of broadband frequency doubling in addition to the Ti:sapphire laser was compensated by using the self-diffraction intensity in sapphire as the feedback signal into the genetic algorithm, resulting in a pulse width of 7.5 fs. The average power of the second harmonic was 1 W with a fundamental input of 7 W.