Radiation Effects of Vacuum Ultraviolet Lasers on Silica Glasses.

Abstract

Excimer-laser processing can be extended to a broader and more diverse range of materials by moving to vacuum-ultraviolet (100-200nm) laser sources such as the molecularfluorine and argon excimer lasers. The 126-nm and 157-nm output wavelengths from the argon excimer and fluorine lasers take advantages of the extremely high photon-energy, the high opacity in most materials, and short pulse duration to minimize thermal loading of target surfaces. The lasers readily drives photochemical interactions. The 126-nm photons induce oxygen desorption and silicon precipitation both in high purity silica glass and crystalline quartz. The 157-nm photons readily etch off the surfaces in vacuum ultraviolet grade silica glass and crystalline quartz.