Rapid micromachining of high aspect ratio holes in fused silica glass by high repetition rate picosecond laser

We present multiple methods of high aspect ratio hole drilling in fused silica glass, taking advantage of high power and high repetition rate picosecond lasers and flexible beam delivery methods to excise deep holes with minimal collateral damage. Combinations of static and synchronous scanning of laser focus were explored over a range of laser repetition rates and burst-train profiles that dramatically vary laser plume interaction dynamics, heat-affected zone, and heat accumulation physics. Chemically assisted etching of picosecond laser modification tracks are also presented as an extension from femtosecond laser writing of volume nanograting to form high aspect ratio (77) channels. Processing windows are identified for the various beam delivery methods that optimize the laser exposure over energy, wavelength, and repetition rate to reduce microcracking and deleterious heating effects. The results show the benefits of femtosecond laser interactions in glass extend into the picosecond domain, where the attributes of higher power further yield wide processing windows and significantly faster fabrication speed. High aspect ratio holes of 400 μm depth were formed over widely varying rates of 333 holes per second for mildly cracked holes in static-focal positioning through to one hole per second for low-damage and taper free holes in synchronous scanning.