Femtosecond Laser Research Articles

Fabrication of ultra-high-Q Ta2O5 microdisks by photolithography-assisted chemo-mechanical etching

Tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) is widely recognized as a promising material platform for photonic integration. This is primarily attributed to its exceptional properties including large bandgap of 3.8 eV, broad transparency window ranging from 300 nm to 8000 nm, high nonlinear refractive index of ∼7.2 × 10−19 m2/W, low optical loss, moderate refractive index of 2.05, low intrinsic material stress, compatibility with CMOS technology, and high solubility for rare-earth ions. However, dry etching of Ta2O5 is challenging and typically results in sidewall roughness with substantial scattering losses. Here, we report on fabrication of a high-Q whispering gallery mode (WGM) microdisk with a diameter of 120 µm and a loaded Q factor of 1.92 × 106 by femtosecond laser photolithography assisted chemo-mechanical etching (PLACE) on amorphous Ta2O5 film. Thanks to the suppression of sidewall scattering, the loaded Q factor is two orders of magnitude higher than the best reported value in dispersion engineered Ta2O5 microresonators.

Selective amplification effect on the diffraction efficiency of a phase grating generated by femtosecond laser pulses.

A phase grating that selectively amplifies diffraction orders that are multiples of a determined integer is designed. For the proposed grating, multiples of the fourth order are enhanced. These results are supported by experiments. The structure is inscribed in the volume of a lithium niobate crystal by employing the femtosecond laser pulse micro-machining technique. A model based on the Raman-Nath behavior of the grating predicts a diffraction efficiency enhancement for those selected orders. Moreover, it is observed that by changing the incidence angle allows transferring energy from multiples of fourth orders to multiples of three. These findings have potential applications in optical spectroscopy and optical communications as well as for photonic devices in which a controlled energy exchange between orders is necessary. The basic wave nature of the mentioned effect allows finding a counterpart in different wavelength ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Temperature Compensated Differential Pressure Sensor Based on a Glass Membrane With Femtosecond Laser Written Bragg Gratings

Temperature Compensated Differential Pressure Sensor Based on a Glass Membrane With Femtosecond Laser Written Bragg Gratings

Energy deposition in air by moderately focused femtosecond laser filaments

Energy deposition in air by moderately focused femtosecond laser filaments

Enhancing Bactericidal Properties of Ti6Al4V Surfaces through Micro and Nano Hierarchical Laser Texturing.

Orthopedic and dental implants made from Ti6Al4V are widely used due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, the long-term performance of these implants can be compromised by bacterial infections. This study explores the development of hierarchically textured surfaces with enhanced bactericidal properties to address such challenges. Hierarchical surface structures were developed by combining microscale features produced by a microsecond laser and superimposed submicron features produced using a femtosecond laser. Microscale patterns were produced by the pulsed laser surface melting process, whereas submicrometer laser-induced periodic surface structures were created on top of them by femtosecond laser processing. Escherichia coli bacterial cells were cultured on the textured surface. After 24 h, a staining analysis was performed using SYTO9 and PI dyes to investigate the samples with a confocal microscope for live dead assays. Results showed bacterial colony formation onto the microscale surface textures with live bacterial cells, whereas the hierarchical surface textures display segregated and physically damaged bacterial cell attachments on surfaces. The hierarchical surface textures showed ∼98% dead bacterial cells due to the combined effect of its multiscale surface features and oxide formation during the laser processing steps. The efficacy of hierarchical surface textures in enhancing the antibacterial behavior of Ti6Al4V implants is evident from the conducted research. Such laser-based surface treatments can find potential applications in different industrial sectors.

Influence of femtosecond laser textured shapes on the friction characteristics of 7075 aluminum alloy

Different surface dimples (circular, square, and triangular) were fabricated on 7075 aluminum alloy specimens using a femtosecond laser to enhance their wear resistance. The influence of these surface dimples on the friction performance of the aluminum alloy under dry sliding conditions was investigated by comparing the coefficient of friction (COF), wear track morphology, and wear rate. All the textured samples exhibit varying degrees of improvement in the wear resistance compared to the untextured sample, and the circular texture is the most effective. Wear track analysis reveals that abrasive and adhesive wear are the primarily wear mechanisms. Thus, introducing surface dimples significantly enhances the wear resistance of the 7075 aluminum alloy, providing a novel strategy for optimizing its friction performance through design.

Using Femtosecond Laser Pulses to Explore the Nonlinear Optical Properties of Ag/Au Alloy Nanoparticles Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Ablation in a Liquid.

Metallic nanoparticles have gained attention in technological fields, particularly photonics. The creation of silver/gold (Ag/Au) alloy NPs upon laser exposure of an assembly of these NPs was described. First, using the Nd: YAG pulsed laser ablation's second harmonic at the same average power and exposure time, Ag and Au NPs in distilled water were created individually. Next, the assembly of Ag and Au NP colloids was exposed again to the pulsed laser, and the effects were examined at different average powers and exposure times. Furthermore, Ag/Au alloy nanoparticles were synthesized with by raising the average power and exposure time. The absorption spectrum, average size, and shape of alloy NPs were obtained by using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer and transmission electron microscope instrument. Ag/Au alloy NPs have been obtained in the limit of quantum dots (<10 nm). The optical band gap energies of the Ag/Au alloy colloidal solutions were assessed for different Ag/Au alloy NP concentrations and NP sizes as a function of the exposure time and average power. The experimental data showed a trend toward an increasing bandgap with decreasing nanoparticle size. The nonlinear optical characteristics of Ag/Au NPs were evaluated and measured by the Z-scan technique using high repetition rate (80 MHz), femtosecond (100 fs), and near-infrared (NIR) (750-850 nm) laser pulses. In open aperture (OA) Z-scan measurements, Ag, Au, and Ag/AuNPs present reverse saturation absorption (RSA) behavior, indicating a positive nonlinear absorption (NLA) coefficient. In the close-aperture (CA) measurements, the nonlinear refractive (NLR) indices (n2) of the Ag, Au, and Ag/Au NP samples were ascribed to the self-defocusing effect, indicating an effective negative nonlinearity for the nanoparticles. The NLA and NLR characteristics of the Ag/Au NPs colloids were found to be influenced by the incident power and excitation wavelength. The optical limiting (OL) effects of the Ag/Au alloy solution at various excitation wavelengths were studied. The OL effect of alloy NPs is greater than that of monometallic NPs. The Ag/Au bimetallic nanoparticles were found to be more suitable for optical-limiting applications.

Interference mechanism of plasma self-organization in transparent dielectrics under the intense femtosecond laser pulse exposure

Abstract The new mechanism of plasma self-organization in transparent dielectrics with wide bandgap exposed to the intense tightly focused laser radiation was revealed which causes the generation of 3D periodic ring structures with subwavelength period both along the laser pulse propagation and in the radial direction. The mechanism involves formation of dense plasma burst in the pre-focal region that provides efficient scattering of the incident wave. The interference of a plane incident laser wave in the focal region and a divergent reflected one will form the standing wave pattern with local minima and maxima of laser field both in the direction of the incident wave propagation and perpendicular to it producing the ring patterns of effective ionization regions in the dielectric volume. Analytical and numerical simulations of the process of laser wave scattering on a near-spherical plasma object with dimensions both smaller and larger than the laser radiation wavelength are performed to verify the proposed model.

Analysis of keratopigmentation in the treatment of iridodialysis

Keratopigmentation has emerged as an innovative approach in the treatment of iridodialysis, an ocular condition that can result in serious visual and aesthetic complications. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of keratopigmentation in the treatment of iridodialysis, considering both functional and aesthetic aspects. A comprehensive qualitative literature review was conducted, utilizing databases such as Scielo, Google Scholar, scientific journals, repositories, and virtual libraries. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies directly addressing keratopigmentation in the context of iridodialysis, while case studies and publications in languages not understood were excluded. The analysis revealed that keratopigmentation can significantly improve the visual functionality of patients, reducing symptoms such as photophobia and diplopia, while also providing satisfactory aesthetic results. The risks and complications associated with the procedure were minimal, especially with the use of micronized mineral pigments and advanced techniques like femtosecond laser. It was concluded that keratopigmentation is a viable and less invasive alternative compared to traditional techniques, offering significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of iridodialysis. This study contributes to the validation of the technique and suggests future research directions to optimize results and expand the clinical applications of this innovative approach.

Contaminant-free layer-by-layer annealing to improve the properties of HfO2/SiO2 optical films for the fs laser

The low laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of HfO2/SiO2 films is an important factor in limiting the further development of high repetition rate femtosecond (fs) laser systems. Conventional whole-layer annealing can effectively improve the properties of SiO2 films, but it is difficult to improve the properties of HfO2 films located in the intermediate layer and is also prone to introduce contaminants. In this study, an innovative magnetron sputtering-vacuum tube furnace combined system was presented to deposit and anneal the HfO2/SiO2 films without contaminant. The layer-by-layer annealing optimizes the stoichiometric ratio, stress, and surface morphology of HfO2/SiO2 films. The fs laser damage test at a high repetition rate indicated that the LIDT of the layer-by-layer annealed films reached 1.15 J/cm2 and 1.99 J/cm2 at 515 nm and 1030 nm, which were about 28% and 25% higher than those of the un-annealed films, respectively. This work provides a way to effectively avoid the contaminant introduction during annealing and improve the damage threshold of bilayer films by layer-by-layer annealing in the magnetron sputtering-vacuum tube furnace combined system.

Ultrafast reverse saturable absorption and all-optical computing with boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophore derivatives

Ultrafast reverse saturable absorption (RSA) in chromophore-based borondipyrro-methenes (BODIPYs) derivatives, 1,7-Diphenyl-3,5-bis(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-boron-diuoride-azadipyrromethene (ZL-61) and 1,7-Diphenyl-3,5-bis(4-(1,2,2-triphenyl-vinyl)phenyl)-boron-diuoride azadipyrromethene (ZL-22), has been theoretically analyzed with femtosecond (fs) laser pulses at 800 nm and 850 nm. The results are in good agreement with the reported experimental results. The effect of input pulse intensity, pulse width, nonlinear absorption (NLA) coefficients, sample thickness and laser pulse shaping on transmittance has been studied and optimized for high contrast and low-power operation. All-optical fs NOT and the universal NOR and NAND Boolean logic gates have been designed with ZL-61 and ZL-22. The logic gates with top-hat input pulse profile have a sharp switch ON/OFF time compared to the Gaussian input laser profile. Ultrafast operation at relatively low pump intensities opens up exciting prospects for the applicability of BODIPY derivatives for ultrafast low-power all-optical computing and information processing.

Femtosecond laser ablated trench array for improving performance of commercial solid oxide cell

The performance of electrode-supported solid oxide cells (SOCs) is limited adversely by gas diffusion impedance in thick and porous support. This work focuses on the improvement of gas transport properties of commercial Ni-YSZ anode-supported SOFC by femtosecond laser-based micromachining where micro-holes of identical depth but different hole separations pitches with minimal heated affected zones were imposed. The polarization resistance calculations and DRT analysis revealed that the presence of the micro-holes improves fuel transport in the anode active zone of commercial SOFC. The presence of the micro-holes resulted in up to 20.8 % and up to 17.2 % reduction in polarization resistance for dry H2 and wet H2 gas-fueled SOFC samples, respectively. Moreover, the decrease in intensity of peaks responsible for fuel diffusion with increasing micro-holed density was observed. Therefore, dense and sparse cells exhibited a performance augmentation of 25 % and 11 % in dry H2 and enhancement of 16 % and 15.6 % in wet H2, respectively. Fs-laser ablation appeared as a unique capability for the post-processing of SOFC elements via imposing different gas channel geometries.

Experimental and Chitosan-Infused Adhesive with Dentin Pretreated with Femtosecond Laser, Methylene Blue-Activated Low-Level Laser, and Phosphoric Acid.

Aim: To prepare experimental adhesive (EA) with 1% and without chitosan nanoparticles on dentin conditioned with a conventional technique phosphoric acid (PA) compared with two different contemporary techniques: photodynamic therapy (PDT) and femtosecond laser (FSL). Method: The methodology consisted of synthesis of EA and 1% chitosan-modified adhesive (CMA). Scanning electron microscopy, dentin adhesive interface assessment, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, shear bond strength (SBS), degree of conversion (DC), and bond failure were assessed. Teeth were selected, disinfected, and mounted in acrylic up to the cementoenamel junction. Occlusal enamel was removed and teeth were randomly allocated into groups and conditioned. These included Group 1: samples treated with PA; Group 2: specimens conditioned with methylene blue photosensitizer (MBP) activated by PDT; and Group 3: samples conditioned with FSL. Following different conditioning regimes, specimens were bonded using 1% CMA and EA. The composite buildup was followed by SBS testing and a bond failure assessment. DC was assessed for both EA and CMA. Analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used to compare the mean and standard deviation of SBS and DC in different experimental groups, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Dentin pretreated with etch and rinse demonstrated the highest bond strength with 1% CMA. Dentin conditioned with MBP activated by PDT and bonded to EA showed the lowest bond scores. Overall SBS values of 1% CMA were better than EA irrespective of the conditioning regime of dentin. The DC was higher in EA adhesive. This was followed by DC in 1% CMA. DC in EA was found to be comparable with 1% CMA. Conclusions: PA remains the gold standard for dentin conditioning. The incorporation of 1% chitosan in adhesive improves SBS and results in no change in DC. The use of FSL in dentin conditioning can be used as an alternative approach as it results in SBS within acceptable limits. The study was approved by the ethical board of King Saud University.

Dissociative Ionization of the CHBr2Cl Molecule in 800 nm and 400 nm Femtosecond Laser Fields

The dissociative ionization of CHBr2Cl molecules in femtosecond laser fields at 800 nm and 400 nm is investigated to enhance the comprehension of ultrafast dynamics phenomena. The kinetic energy distribution of the resulting ions following photo-dissociation is analyzed using time-of-flight mass spectrometry in combination with DC-sliced ion velocity map imaging. The findings from the experimental study indicate that the presence of low kinetic energy components is attributed to the dissociative ionization processes of CHBr2Cl molecules. The complexity of individual dissociation pathways remains unaffected by the laser fields but is determined by factors such as bond energy, ionization energy of neutral groups, and charge distribution. In the case of 400 nm laser fields, distinct elimination channels enable CHBr2Cl+ ions to circumvent the transition state, leading to the formation of BrCl+ and Br2+ fragments.

A Retrospective Study: Are the Multi-Dips in the THz Spectrum during Laser Filamentation Caused by THz–Plasma Interactions?

During the process of terahertz (THz) wave generation via femtosecond laser filamentation in air, as well as through the mixing of THz waves with externally injected plasma filaments, THz waves engage in interactions with the plasma. A characteristic feature of this interaction is the modulation of the THz radiation spectrum by the plasma, which includes the generation of THz spectral dips. This information is essential for understanding the underlying mechanisms of THz–plasma interactions or for inferring plasma parameters. However, a current debate exists on the number of THz spectral dips observed after the interaction, with different opinions of single versus multiple dips, thus leaving the interaction mechanisms still ambiguous. In this work, we retrospectively analyzed the experimental appearance of multiple dips in the THz spectrum and found that the current observations of such dips are predominantly a result of the water vapor absorption with a low spectral resolution. Additionally, we observed that altering the acquisition width of the temporal THz signal also influenced the dips’ number. Hence, in future research, simultaneous attention should be paid to the following two aspects of THz–plasma interactions: (1) It is necessary to ensure a sufficiently wide time-domain window to accurately represent the spectral dip characteristics. (2) The spectral dips should be carefully distinguished from the water absorption lines before being further studied. On the other hand, for the case of a single dip in the THz spectrum, we also put forward a new viewpoint of the resonance between surface plasmon waves and THz waves, which should also be taken into consideration in future studies.

Facile fabrication of THz metasurfaces by a spatially shaped femtosecond laser printing system

Terahertz (THz) metasurfaces provide unprecedented abilities to realize versatile THz wavefronts manipulations. Nevertheless, these high degree of freedom, non-periodic, densely arranged subwavelength unit cells pose numerous extreme parameter requirements for the fabrication of metasurfaces, presenting significant challenges to their practical application. Herein, a spatial shaping femtosecond laser printing system, based on spatial light modulation (SLM), is proposed for the creation of THz metasurfaces. Through programming the SLM with a sequence of computer-generated holograms (CGH) corresponding to C-shaped Bessel beams with varying opening angles and orientation angles, the C-shaped slit resonant rings with different geometric parameters—fundamental units of the metasurface—were precisely printed onto a gold film. To validate this technique, a THz metalens based on a phased gradient design and a THz holographic plate employing simultaneous phase and amplitude modulation were meticulously fabricated, displaying outstanding performance. Owing to the simple processing flow, high reproducibility, and wide applicability of materials, this technique stands out as a versatile and efficient approach for fabricating THz metasurfaces, with the potential to promote the commercialization of terahertz metasurfaces.

Using femtosecond laser pulses to investigate the thickness-dependent nonlinear optical properties of nickel oxide thin films and their potential use as optical limiters

Using femtosecond laser pulses to investigate the thickness-dependent nonlinear optical properties of nickel oxide thin films and their potential use as optical limiters

Study on hole wall morphology and defects in burst mode of femtosecond laser drilling

Through-hole drilling experiments are conducted on nickel-based superalloys GH3536 using femtosecond laser and burst modes of femtosecond laser. The morphology and roughness of the hole wall are studied. Indentation experiments show an increase in microhardness to 10 GPa in the recast layer at the edges of holes at GHz mode and MHz-200 μJ. EDS finds that the increase is attributed to oxidation and the formation of Cr2O3. EBSD and kernel average misorientation (KAM) reveal the laser induced heat-affected-zone (HAZ) at Single-Pulse-200 μJ and GHz-200 μJ. The removal characteristics under four burst modes are compared in single pulse/burst percussion experiment, indicating that the efficient removal of molten material in BiBurst mode accounts for its superior hole wall quality. The BiBurst mode offers significant advantages in terms of enhancing machining efficiency while minimizing material damage, which can extend to various metal materials.

Evaluation of femtosecond-LA-ICP-TOFMS for multi-elemental mapping at cellular resolution of human-tissue from cancer patients

The characterization of the multi-elemental distributions within a thin tissue section of a liver metastasis from colorectal cancer patient after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy, is critically evaluated using Ultraviolet Femtosecond Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UV-fs-LA-ICP-TOFMS). Different femtosecond laser ablation conditions, in terms of spot size and energy per pulse, were investigated to achieve proper ablation of the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor sections, while also trying to minimize the ablation of the glass substrate. Moreover, histological images of the tissues before and after the ablation processes were combined with UV-fs-LA-ICP-TOFMS elemental mapping to achieve multi-elemental spatial distributions at cellular level. For instance, spatial distributions of endogenous 31P, 56Fe, 63Cu and 64Zn analytes were determined within the thin tissue section. Furthermore, spatial distribution of elements such as 24Mg, 28Si, and 40Ca were employed to study glass substrate ablation during tissue analysis. Additional analytes, which might be partially associated to compounds employed on hematoxylin and eosin tissue staining processes, such as 23Na, 27Al, 32S, 39K, 79Br and 127I, were also detected. Finally, the accumulation of the oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy products in the stroma was confirmed from the spatial distribution of 196Pt ion signals within the tissue.

Supercapacitors on hairs with quantum capacitance-dominant extraordinary capacitance

Graphene-based planar microsupercapacitors are promising energy storage devices for microelectromechanical systems. However, the capacitance and energy density of such graphene-based microsupercapacitors cannot achieve further promotion because of the lack of strategies that permit tailoring both chemical and geometric structures of graphene at the nanoscale. In this study, supercapacitors on hairs with quantum capacitance-dominant extraordinary capacitance are found. Simulations reveal that the record high capacitance and energy density are attributed to the enhanced quantum capacitance effect. The graphene electrodes are prepared by femtosecond laser direct writing-assisted reduction and N-doping of graphene oxides on the human hair surface. Due to the distinct quantum capacitance dominance, the microsupercapacitors exhibit extremely high capacitance (∼3000 mF/cm2) and energy density (∼417 μWh/cm2). We hope that this work will promote the development of microsupercapacitors with high capacitance and energy density.