In-Liquid Laser Nanomachining by Photonic Nanojet in Laser Trapping System

Abstract

Abstract Direct laser machining in sub-micron scale patterning at a surface of material remains a challenging task though the laser machining has been widely applied in various application. A photonic nanojet becomes a promising way to solve the problem by involving near-field focusing of light waves below the surface of a dielectric microsphere to fabricate pattern in micro- and nanometer size. By generating laser power to the microsphere and controlling the resulting photonic nanojet intensity distribution and position related to the workpiece, intended ablation size on the material could be controlled at the sub-micrometer scale. In this study, liquid is proposed as photonic nanojet machining medium due to several advantages that liquid offer during machining process. Laser trapping system is then introduced to the optical system to control the position of the microsphere during machining process. An in-liquid nanomachining by generating photonic nanojet in laser trapping configuration is a subject to study with the effect on the resulting ablation and viability of machining process from a set of parameters are investigated numerically using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique. According to the findings of this study, nanometer scale, flexible, and fast novel laser nanomachining could be realized by combining photonic nanojet machining and laser trapping technique.