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Excimer Laser Applications
The staff at LightMachinery has been involved with excimer lasers since the beginning of time
LightMachinery Excimer Lasers are designed for a wide variety of advanced applications in precision manufacturing and R&D including;
- Wire stripping
- Drilling
- Changing the index of optical materials to 'write' Fiber-Bragg gratings or holograms
- Micro-machining of polymer and ceramic materials for electronic and medical devices
- Marking
- Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD)
- LIDAR
- Lasers in Research - A sample of research paper involving our lasers
Excimer lasers enable clean non-contact stripping of a wide variety of wire and insulation types. The excimer laser is a standard industrial tool wherever mechanically fragile wires are used. The excimer beam removes insulation without any charring and creates a very clean metal surface.
Typical of excimer laser stripping of fine gauge wires for hard disk drives. Very clean insulation removal, no loose particles and no damage to the core conductor. This is a gold/copper 47 gage wire, 50 microns in diameter with 8 microns of polyurethane insulation. Heavier Gage wire stripping. 14 gage wire, 2mm in diameter, insulation 12 microns thick. Wire has been stripped only from one side a common requirement that is easily accomplished with the excimer laser. Wire stripping of multiple wires, 50um wire diameter, Polyimide insulation Stripping a single 50um wire with polyimide insulation
Drilling
The drilling of small holes is one of the most common applications of the excimer laser. Ultra-violet light can be focussed to very small spots, the very small holes in ink jet nozzles are almost exclusively drilled the excimer laser. The clean walls created in the this fast 'cold' process have no melting or charring.An excellent example of the quality and precision achieved by the excimer laser drilling plastic. This is 75 micron thick polyimide with 50 micron diameter holes.
The ability of the excimer laser to alter the index of doped glasses became an important industrial process in the 1990's when it became the standard process for creating Fiber Bragg Gratings. This continues to be a very common use for the excimer laser and now new variations are also gaining industrial strength including the cration of micro holographic optical elements.Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs ) are narrowband reflection filters written permanently into the core of single mode fibers. Wavelength-selective fibers for telecommunications (DWDM) and smart sensors. Normally done with a KrF or ArF excimer laser operating with unstable resonator optics. Unstable resonator optics available on GSI Lumonics excimer lasers provide low beam divergence and excellent focused spot quality. This is a very important parameter when the laser is used in advanced aThe spot profile shown here is formed by a one meter focusing lens. Learn more... Example of microlens array, 90x50µm lenslets in PC by Optec OG technique.
The excimer laser is a powerful industrial tool for the micro-machining of non-metals. Masks of various shapes are often put in the beam and demagnified onto the component. The shape of the mask may be a rectangle or a round shape. Then X-Y tables can be used under CNC control to develop intricate shapes and contours.Very precise stripping from gold contact pads using an IPEX laser with a highly specialized Offner projection lens to pattern around a dozen devices in one go, with step & repeat for rows of devices. Edges are precise to <1.5µm, and note lack of debris using Coax He nozzle. Test pattern machined with IPEX in Polyimide, bar width is 20µm, credit Olaf Krüger, FBH, Berlin 8µm width and 8µm pitch grooves in polycarbonate Catheter slit is a 20 µm wide groove machined though a conductive coating along the length of a 1.8m catheter. There were 4 grooves milled simultaneously and rigorously at 90° by splitting the IPEX beam in 4 Fibre location grooves machined in PMMA using a PM848 at 193nm. Credit to Kris Naessens of INTEC for the photo ZnSe lens array, pitch 6µm, using MAS300 workstation with an IPEX series eximcer laser. Credit to P Gailly, Centre Spatial de Liège, Belgium. Spiral slots in a Polyimide tube(prototype polymer stent) around 0.8mm dia. Example of microlens array, 90x50µm lenslets in PC by Optec OG technique.
The UV energy from the excimer laser can produce dramatic color changes in plastics and ceramic materials. These marks are permanent and can be used for simple identification or traceability or anti-conterfeit. Sample testing at LightMachinery is free so do not hesitate to contact us to evaluate your marking application.Ceramic chip capacitor marking, very small character sizes, high throughput, good contrast on most ceramics. Excimer marking is normally integrated into an automated test handler. Aerospace wire marking for Tefzel and Teflon wire. The excimer laser marks are high contrast permanent marks that cannot be removed with solvents. No reduction in insulation strength. Applications include marking on contact lenses, flat panel displays. Mark shown here is typical of 2D matrix codes used on flat panel displays and other high value glass substrates. Glass marks are achieved using the excimer laser at 193nm. Dot size is 100 microns
Pulsed Laser Deposition
The excimer laser can be used as a means of vaporizing target material inside a vacuum chamber and depositing it on a substrate. The process has several advantages over conventional processes including;
- A wide variety of targets can be used; metals, ceramics and oxydes
- Independant control on the deposition temperature and the background pressure (oxygen, helium, nitrogen...).
- the resulting thin film has the same stochiometry as the target
- novel coatings such as diamond films can be producedSee our IPEX PLD Series Brochure for more information on the LightMachinery IPEX PLD Series Lasers
The PulseMaster laser in a PLD application at the INRS Canada. The PulseMaster 880 is clearly visible in this PLD laboratory setup in Italy at the CNR IMM - Istituto per la Microelettronica e i Microsistemi - Bologna The plume as material deposits on the substrate with high energy creating dense coatings
The powerful ultra-violet beam of the excimer is providing important insights into the workings of our atmosphere.Excimer based LIDAR in Canada's Far North, this system studies ozone in the stratosphere using 308nm UV light
Enhanced performance of the AA2050-T8 aluminium alloy following excimer laser surface melting and anodising processes F. Viejoa, A.E. Coya, F.J. García-Garcíaa, M.C. Merinob, Z. Liua, P. Skeldona and G.E. Thompsona Thin Solid Films Performance of Al alloys following excimer LSM-anodising approaches F. Viejo, Z. Aburas, A. E. Coy, F. J. Garcia-Garcia, Z. Liu, P. Skeldon, G. E. Thompson Surface and Interface Analysis Relationship between microstructure and corrosion performance of AA2050-T8 aluminium alloy after excimer laser surface melting F Viejo, AE Coy, FJ Garcia-Garcia, Z Liu, P Skeldon, … Corrosion Science Effect of excimer laser surface melting on the microstructure and corrosion performance of the die cast AZ91D magnesium alloy F Viejo, AE Coy, FJ Garcia-Garcia, Z Liu, P Skeldon, … Corrosion Science Dynamical plasma study during CaCu3Ti4O12 and Ba0. 6Sr0. 4TiO3 pulsed laser deposition by local thermodynamic equilibrium modelling JF Lagrange, J Hermann, J Wolfman, … Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics Action of counter-propagating laser beams on two-photon excitation of potassium vapour T Efthimiopoulos, N Merlemis, M E Movsessian, D Pentaris and M Katharakis Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Dynamical plasma study during CaCu3Ti4O12 and Ba0. 6Sr0. 4TiO3 pulsed laser deposition by local thermodynamic equilibrium modelling J F Lagrange, J Hermann, J Wolfman and O Motret Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics Time-Resolved ESR Study on Complex Radical Pairs Formed in the Photolysis of Methylene Blue Included in Water-Soluble Sulfonated Calixarenes Akiko Tanaka, Haruhiko Yashiro, Asako Ishigaki and Hisao Murai Applied Magnetic Resonance Zinc Oxysulfide Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition Sundeep H. Deulkar, Jow-Lay Huang and Michael Neumann-Spallart Journal of Electronic Materials Photoreactions and Molecular Dynamics of Radical Pairs in a Reversed Micelle Studied by Time-Resolved Measurements of EPR and Magnetic Field Effect Tomoaki Miura‡, Atsushi Kageyama§, Sakiko Torii and Hisao Murai Journal of Physical Chemistry B Nanoscale patterning of functional perovskite-type complex oxides by pulsed laser deposition through a nanostencil CV Cojocaru, R Nechache, C Harnagea, A … Applied Surface Science Photodissociation Dynamics of Propargyl Alcohol at 212 nm: The OH Production Channel Ji Hye Lee, Hyonseok Hwang, Chan Ho Kwon and Hong Lae Kim Journal of Physical Chemistry A Spectroscopy study of air plasma induced by IR CO 2 laser pulses J. J. Camacho, M. Santos, L. Díaz, L. J. Juan and J. M. L. Poyato Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing The 41 [Sigma]+ electronic state of KLi molecule J Szczepkowski, A Grochola, W Jastrzebski, P … Chemical Physics Letter Laser removal of TiN coatings from WC micro-tools and in-process monitoring J Szczepkowski, A Grochola, W Jastrzebski, P … Optics and Laser Technology Bragg gratings fabricated in monomode photosensitive optical fiber by UV exposure through a phase mask Hill, K. O.; Malo, B.; Bilodeau, F.; Johnson, D. C.; Albert, J.; Applied Physics Letters Plasma soft x‐ray source generated by 4‐ns excimer laser pulses Morsell, A. L.; Powers, M.; Shields, H.; Applied Physics Letters Excimer lasers in cardiovascular surgery: Ablation products and photoacoustic spectrum of the arterial wall Singleton, D. L.; Paraskevopoulos, G.; Jolly, G. S.; Irwin, R. S.; McKenney, D. J.; Nip, W. S.; Farrell, E. M.; Higginson, L. A. J Applied Physics Letters Violet photoluminescence in Zn‐doped CuAlS2 Aksenov, Igor; Yasuda, Takashi; Segawa, Yusaburo; Sato, Katsuaki; Journal of Applied Physics CO2 laser drilling of copper following excimer laser pretreatment Kinsman, G.; Duley, W. W.; Applied Physics Letters Epitaxial Tl2 CaBa2Cu2O8 thin films with low 9.6 GHz surface resistance at high power and above 77 K Hammond, R. B.; Negrete, G. V.; Bourne, L. C.; Strother, D. D.; Cardona, A. H.; Eddy, M. M.; Applied Physics Letters In situ growth of PbSrYCaCuO films by laser ablation Hughes, R. A.; Lu, Y.; Timusk, T.; Preston, J. S.; Applied Physics Letters Lithography Based on Memory Effects Resulting from Photoinduced Self-Assembly of Pyrene Dimers in Thin Polymer Films Marius G. Ivan† and J. C. Scaiano Chemistry of Materials Pulsed excimer laser annealing of ion implanted silicon: Characterization and solar cell fabrication Lowndes, D. H.; Cleland, J. W.; Christie, W. H.; Eby, R. E.; Jellison, G. E.; Narayan, J.; Westbrook, R. D.; Wood, R. F.; Nilson, J. A.; Dass, S. C.; Applied Physics Letters M. Sundara, , , D. Whiteheada, P.T. Mativengaa, L. Lia and K.E. Cookeb Optics & Laser Technology Transformation of medical grade silicone rubber under Nd: YAG and excimer laser irradiation: First step towards a new miniaturized nerve electrode fabrication … C. Dupas-Bruzeka, O. Robbea, A. Addada, d, S. Turrella and D. Deroziera Applied Surface Science Experimental measurements of multiphoton enhanced air breakdown
by a subthreshold intensity excimer laserJesse Way, Jason Hummelt, and John Scharer Journal of Applied Physics The potential energy barrier of the state in KLi W. Jastrzebskia, P. Kowalczykb, A. Pashovc and J. Szczepkowskid Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy Formation of ultraviolet laser-annealed mesoporous anatase films by a sol–gel process Yasir F. Joya, Zhu Liu Scripta Materialia Optimization of the synthesis of nanostructured Tb3+-doped Gd2O3 by in-situ luminescence following up Meigui Oua, Brice Muteleta, b, Matteo Martinia, b, Rana Bazzib, Stéphane Rouxb, Gilles Ledouxb, Olivier Tillementb and Pascal Perriata, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science Excimer laser‐assisted metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of CdTe on GaAs Zinck, J. J.; Brewer, P. D.; Jensen, J. E.; Olson, G. L.; Tutt... Applied Physics Letters Study of the ablation threshold of polyimide (Kapton H) utilizing double‐pulsed XeCl excimer laser radiation Mihailov, S.; Duley, W.; Journal of Applied Physics Studies of excimer laser produced copper plasma in the presence of background gas Kumar, V.; Thareja, R. K.; Journal of Applied Physics Excimer laser induced etching of InP Donnelly, V. M.; Hayes, T. R.; Applied Physics Letters Metal buffer layers and Y‐Ba‐Cu‐O thin films on Pt and stainless steel using pulsed laser deposition Russo, R. E.; Reade, R. P.; McMillan, J. M.; Olsen, B. L.; Journal of Applied Physics 1 pm spectrally narrowed ArF excimer laser injection locked by fourth harmonic seed source of 773.6 nm Ti:sapphire laser Kasamatsu, T.; Tsunekane, M.; Sekita, H.; Morishige, Y.; Kishida, S.; Applied Physics Letters Excimer laser induced diffusion in magnetic semiconductor quantum wells Howari, H.; Sands, D.; Nicholls, J. E.; Hogg, J. H. C.; Stirner, T.; Hagston, W. E.; Journal of Applied Physics Excimer laser manipulation and pattering of gold nanoparticles on the SiO2/Si surface Yang, D.-Q.; Meunier, M.; Sacher, E.; Journal of Applied Physics Digital etching of III–V multilayered structures combined with laser ionization mass spectroscopy: Photon‐assisted depth profiling Bourne, Orson L.; Hart, DArcy; Rayner, David. M.; Hackett, Peter Andrew; Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Excimer laser ablation of ferrites Tam, A. C.; Leung, W. P.; Krajnovich, D.; Journal of Applied Physics Deposition of a Si monolayer on sapphire using an ArF excimer laser for Si epitaxial growth Ishida, M.; Tanaka, H.; Sawada, K.; Namiki, A.; Nakamura, T.; Ohtake, N.; Journal of Applied Physics Noncontact monitoring of laser ablation using a miniature piezoelectric probe to detect photoacoustic pulses in air Leung, Wing P.; Tam, Andrew C.; Applied Physics Letters Time‐of‐flight analysis of the plume dynamics of laser‐ablated 6H‐silicon carbide Capano, Michael A.; Journal of Applied Physics
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Ultra-reliable lasers and responsive customer servicePulseMaster-800 Series
The PulseMaster excimer lasers are designed for medium industrial or R&D applications requiring high power or high energy operation at any of the 193, 248, 308, 351 nm excimer laser wavelengths.- moreIPEX-800 Series
Designed for high duty cycle operation in a manufacturing environment, IPEX Series lasers deliver high power ultraviolet laser machining combined with state-of-the-art performance. - moreClick Here to contact us for more information or to request a quotation
