Micromachining with excimer lasers: photoablation and plasma spluttering

摘要

Different materials like polymers, glasses, and ceramics have been machined by photoablation with excimer laser radiation (193 nm, 248 nm, 308 nm). Structuring with micrometer resolution can be achieved for these materials if the right wavelength, fluence, and pulse repetition rate is chosen. At high fluence or intensity the ablation process seems to be superimposed by some kind of plasma sputtering. The diameter of deep holes becomes significantly larger than the spot diameter on the sample surface. On the bottom of the holes a regular microstructure appears for several materials. The development of this structure depends on the fluence and the ambient atmosphere.