Thermoplasmonic laser-induced backside wet etching of sapphire

Abstract

The technology of thermoplasmonic laser-induced backside wet etching is proposed to microstructure such solid and difficult-to-process materials as sapphire. In this technology, the laser absorbing medium is silver nanoparticles obtained from a precursor (AgNO3) and providing significant laser radiation absorption due to the presence of plasmonic absorption with the formation of a substantially localised region with extremely high temperatures and pressures. This approach makes it possible to process sapphire both in the ‘gentle’ regime with the formation of nanometre structures and in the ‘strong’ regime to allow for the formation of ‘deep’ structures with etching rates up to several micrometers per pulse and high aspect ratio. The possibility of formation of periodic structures in sapphire in the above-threshold regime is shown.