Journal of the European Optical Society - Rapid publications, Vol 9 (2014)

The impact of O/Si ratio and hydrogen content on ArF excimer laser ablation of fused silica

D. Tasche, C. Gerhard, J. Ihlemann, S. Wieneke, W. Viöl

Abstract


The impact of stoichiometry and hydrogen content on the ArF excimer laser ablation characteristics of fused silica is investigated. Nearsurface substoichiometic SiOx with x < 2 diminishes the ablation threshold as a result of increased absorption. The ablation rate is raised by an elevated hydrogen content. As confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis, the laser-induced formation of substoichiometric near-surface layers within the ablation spot sustains absorption and ablation for consecutive laser pulses.

© The Authors. All rights reserved. [DOI: 10.2971/jeos.2014.14026]

Full Text: PDF

Citation Details


Cite this article

References


J. Zhang, K. Sugioka, and K. Midorikawa, ”Direct fabrication of microgratings in fused quartz by laser-induced plasma-assisted ablation with a KrF excimer laser,” Opt. Lett. 23, 1486–1488 (1998).

K. Sugioka, and K. Midorikawa, ”Novel technology for laser precision microfabrication of hard materials,” RIKEN Review 32, 36–42 (2001).

J. Wang, H. Niino, and A. Yabe, ”One-step microfabrication of fused silica by laser ablation of an organic solution,” Appl. Phys. AMater. 68, 111–113 (1999).

X. Ding, Y. Kawaguchi, H. Niino, and A. Yabe, ”Laser-induced highquality etching of fused silica using a novel aqueous medium,” Appl. Phys. A-Mater. 75, 641–645 (2002).

R. Böhme, and K. Zimmer, ”Low roughness laser etching of fused silica using an adsorbed layer,” Appl. Surf. Sci. 239, 109–116 (2004).

K. Zimmer, R. Böhme, and B. Rauschenbach, ”Laser etching of fused silica using an adsorbed toluene layer,” Appl. Phys. A-Mater. 79, 1883–1885 (2004).

B. Hopp, C. Vass, T. Smausz, and Z. Bor, ”Production of submicrometre fused silica gratings using laser-induced backside dry etching technique,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 39, 4843–4847 (2006).

J. Ihlemann, ”Micro patterning of fused silica by laser ablation mediated by solid coating absorption,” Appl. Phys. A-Mater. 93, 65-68 (2008).

J.-H. Klein-Wiele, J. Békési, P. Simon, and J. Ihlemann, ”Fabrication of SiO2 phase gratings by UV laser patterning of silicon suboxide layers and subsequent oxidation,” J. Laser Micro/Nanoeng. 1, 211–214 (2006).

M. Jahn, J. Richter, R. Weichenhain-Schriever, J. Meinertz, and J. Ihlemann, ”Ablation of silicon suboxide thin layers,” Appl. Phys. AMater. 101, 533–538 (2010).

C. Gerhard, D. Tasche, S. Brückner, S. Wieneke, and W. Viöl, ”Nearsurface modification of optical properties of fused silica by lowtemperature hydrogenous atmospheric pressure plasma,” Opt. Lett. 37, 566–568 (2012).

S. Brückner, J. Hoffmeister, J. Ihlemann, C. Gerhard, S. Wieneke, and W. Viöl, ”Hybrid laser-plasma micro-structuring of fused silica based on surface reduction by a low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma,” J. Laser Micro/Nanoeng. 7, 73–76 (2012).

J. Hoffmeister, C. Gerhard, S. Brückner, J Ihlemann, S. Wieneke, and W. Viöl, ”Laser micro-structuring of fused silica subsequent to plasma-induced silicon suboxide generation and hydrogen implantation,” Physics Procedia 39, 613–620 (2012).

J. Richter, J. Meinertz, and J. Ihlemann, ”Patterned laser annealing of silicon oxide films,” Appl. Phys. A-Mater. 104, 759–764 (2011).

C. Gerhard, T. Weihs, D. Tasche, S. Brückner, S. Wieneke, and W. Viöl, ”Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of fused silica, related surface and near-surface effects and applications,” Plasma Chem. Plasma P. 33, 895–905 (2013).

S. Brückner, S. Rösner, C. Gerhard, S. Wieneke, and W. Viöl, ”Plasma-based ionisation spectroscopy for material analysis,” Mater. Test. 53, 639-642 (2011).

T. W. Hickmott, ”Interaction of Atomic Hydrogen with Glass,” J. Appl. Phys. 31, 128–136 (1960).

Y. Boliang, D.H. Ryan, J. M. D. Coey, Z. Altounian, J. O. Ström-Olsen, and F. Razavi, ”Hydrogen-induced change in magnetic structure of the metallic glass Fe89Zr11,” J. Phys. F Met. Phys. 13, 217–222 (1983).

I. I. Kitaigorodskii, D. I. Mendeleev, E. A. Fainberg, and L. A. Grechanik, ”The influence of certain oxides on reduction of lead silicate glasses in hydrogen,” Glass Ceram. 19, 645–647 (1962).

D. Bäuerle, Laser processing and chemistry (Springer Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg, 2011).

K. Zimmer, M. Ehrhardt, and R. Böhme, ”Simulation of laserinduced backside wet etching of fused silica with hydrocarbon liquids,” J. Appl. Phys. 107, 034908 (2010).