Micromachining with Femtosecond Lasers

Level: Intermediate Length: 4 hours Format: In-Person Lecture Intended Audience: This course is aimed at people already doing or interested in starting research on short-pulse laser micromachining, as well as at people who have specific micromachining problems and wish to evaluate the potential of femtosecond lasers for accomplishing their task. Those who do not have a background in some of the unique properties of femtosecond laser pulses would benefit from attending SC541, "An Introduction to Femtosecond Laser Techniques," by Eric Mazur and/or SC746 "Introduction to Ultrafast Technology" by Rick Trebino before attending this course. Description: This course provides attendees with the knowledge necessary to understand and apply femtosecond laser pulses for micromachining tasks in a variety of materials. Emphasis will be placed on developing a fundamental understanding of how femtosecond pulses interact with the sample. From this knowledge, the advantages and limitations of femtosecond lasers for various micromachining tasks can be readily understood. Examples will be given in the micromachining of the surface of metals, semiconductors, and transparent materials, as well as the formation of photonic and microfluidic devices in the bulk of transparent materials. Learning Outcomes: This course will enable you to: - summarize the linear and non-linear interaction mechanisms of femtosecond laser pulses with metals, semiconductors, and transparent materials - explain mechanisms for material removal and modification, as well as factors affecting precision and degree of collateral damage - describe unique capabilities afforded by femtosecond pulses for micromachining bulk transparent materials - determine appropriate femtosecond laser parameters for a micromachining task - compare various micromachining methods and evaluate the most appropriate for a given job Instructor(s): Stefan Nolte is a Professor at the Friedrich Schiller University and at the Fraunhofer IOF in Jena, Germany. His research topics include ultrashort pulse micromachining for industrial and medical applications. He has been actively engaged in research on femtosecond laser micromachining since the field's inception in the mid-1990s. Event: SPIE Photonics West 2018 Course Held: 28 January 2018