Flexible interference ablation using fibers to split and deliver laser pulses for direct plasmonic nanopatterning

Abstract

Optical fibers are used to achieve a flexible interference ablation scheme, where the bundled end of fibers functions as a beam splitter and the fibers are used to deliver 5-ns ultraviolet laser pulses at 355 nm. The divergent beams from the free ends of fibers are overlapped onto the film of colloidal gold nanoparticles. A single-pulse single-shot exposure process leads to removal of the gold nanoparticles within the bright interference fringes. Gold nanogratings are produced on glass substrates coated with indium tin oxide after an annealing process at 400 °C. Fano coupling between plasmon and waveguide resonance modes was observed.