Henry Helvajian

Threshold level laser photoablation of crystalline silver: Ejected ion translational energy distributions

We have conducted an experiment which measures, for a single laser shot, the ejected mass and nascent velocity distributions of ionic species ablated at laser fluences near the threshold for ion production. Our results show that for a crystalline silver target, the laser‐ablated ion products are ejected with fixed kinetic energy equal to 9±1 eV (3 eV FWHM). The kinetic energy of the ejecta (Ag+,Ag+2, adsorbed Fe+) do not vary with wavelength (351 and 248 nm), nor with the ion product mass, and within limits are independent of the incident laser intensity. We do see a wavelength dependence in the threshold for ion production and in the dimer/monomer (Ag+/Ag+2) ion ratio. A number of possible mechanisms are presented to explain the data, although none is without some objection. Among these, the process whereby desorption is induced by electronic transitions (DIET processes) has some merit in explaining our data.

Direct-write UV-laser microfabrication of 3D structures in lithium-aluminosilicate glass

The direct-write laser machining technique has been used to process a lithium-alumosilicate glass (FoturanTM) for an application which requires 3D patterned microstructures. Using two UV laser wavelengths (248 nm and 355 nm), microcavities and microstructures have been fabricated for the development of microthrusters for attitude and orbit control of a 1 kg class (10 cm diameter) nanosatellite. In addition, experiments have been conducted to define the processing window for the laser patterning technique. The results include a measure of the change in Foturan strength after a required program bake cycle plus HF etching rates as a function of the laser repetition rate for the two UV wavelengths.

Characteristics of laser absorption and welding in FOTURAN glass by ultrashort laser pulses

The nonlinear absorptivity of FOTURAN glass to ultrashort laser pulses is evaluated by experimental measurement and thermal conduction model at different parameters including energy and repetition rate of the laser pulse, translation speed and thermal properties of the sample. The mechanical strength of an embedded laser-melted sample and an overlapped weld sample is determined by a three-point-bending test and a shear test, respectively. The results are related to the average absorbed laser power Wab. We found the mechanical strength of an overlapped weld joint to be as high as that of the base material for low Wab, if the sample pair is pre-bonded to provide optical contact.

A UV Direct-Write Approach for Formation of Embedded Structures in Photostructurable Glass-Ceramics

Photostructurable glass-ceramics are a promising class of materials for MEMS devices. Previous work micromachining these materials used conventional photolithography equipment and masking techniques; however, we use direct-write CAM tools and a pulsed UV laser micromachining station for rapid prototyping and enhanced depth control. We have already used this class of materials to build components for MEMS thrusters, including fuel tanks and nozzles: structures that would prove difficult to build by standard microfabrication techniques. A series of experiments was performed to characterize process parameters and establish the processing trade-offs in the laser exposure step. The hypothesis that there exists a critical dose of UV light for the growth of an etchable crystalline phase was tested by exposing the material to a fluence gradient for a variety of pulse train lengths, and then processing as usual. By measuring the dimensions of the etched region, we were able to determine the dose. We found that the dose is proportional to the square of the per-pulse fluence. This has allowed us to create not only embedded structures, but also stacked embedded structures. This also implies that we can embed tubes and tunnels with a single exposure inside a monolithic glass sample. We feel that this technique has promise for a number of applications, including microfluidics.

Fabrication of true 3D microstructures in glass/ceramic materials by pulsed UV laser volumetric exposure techniques

A pulsed UV laser based technique has been developed which permits the transfer, by direct-write exposure, of 3D image into a photosensitive glass/ceramic material. The exposed latent image volume is developed via temperature programmed bake process and then etched away using HF in solution. The height of the 3D microstructures is controlled by the initial laser wavelength used during the exposure and the time duration of the etching cycle. Using this technique we have fabricated large arrays of microstructures which have applications to microfluidics, microelectromechanical systems and optoelectronics. The resulting master copy can be used either as is or by use standard injection modeling techniques converted into a metallic or plastic copies. We present these results and others which have specific applications to miniature 1Kg class satellites - nanosatellites.

Effect of laser parameters on the exposure and selective etch rate in photostructurable glass

Photostructurable glass-ceramic materials have received significant attention due to their utility in aerospace engineering and micro technology. For example, the ability to fabricate structures in glass is important in the design and integration of micro scale electronic, optical and fluidic devices. Direct-write pulsed UV laser processing techniques have been utilized recently to create patterned 3D microstructures in a lithium-aluminosilicate glass. The direct-write microfabrication process involves the formation of an initial latent image in the glass via UV laser radiation. Thermal-induced ceramization is utilized to develop the latent image into a permanent image. Material removal and microstructure fabrication are then accomplished by preferential isotropic etching of the developed regions.

Development of a 100-gm-class inspector satellite using photostructurable glass/ceramic materials

A pulsed UV laser volumetric direct-write patterning technique has been used to fabricate the structural members and key fluidic distribution systems of a miniature 100 gm mass spacecraft called the Co-Orbital Satellite Assistant (COSA). A photostructurable glass ceramic material enables this photo-fabrication process. The COSA is a miniature space vehicle designed to assist its host ship by serving as a maneuverable external viewing platform. Using orbital dynamics simulation software, a minimum (Delta) V solution has been found that allows a COSA vehicle to eject from the host and maneuver into an observation orbit about the host vehicle. The result of the simulant show that a cold gas propulsion system can adequately support the mission given a total fuel volume of 5 cm3. A prototype COSA with dimensions of 50 X 50 X 50 mm has been fabricated and assembled for simulation experiments on an air table. The vehicle is fashioned out of 7 laser patterned wafers, electronics boards and a battery. The patterned wafers include an integrated 2-axis propulsion system, a fuel tank and a propellant distribution system. The electronics portion of the COSA vehicle includes a wireless communication system, 2 microcontrollers for system, 2 microcontrollers for system control and MEMS gyros for relative attitude determination. The COSA vehicle is designed to be mass producible and scalable.

Nanosatellites and MEMS fabrication by laser microprocessing

By definition Nanosatellites are space systems that can weigh 1010 kg and can perform unique missions (e.g. global cloud cover monitoring, store-and-forward communications) acting either in constellation of distributed sensor-nodes or in a many-satellite platoon that flies in formation. The Aerospace Corporation has been exploring the application of microelectronics fabrication and advanced packaging technology to the development of a mass-producible nanosatellite. Particular attention is being directed at M3 (Micromachining/MEMS/Microsystems) technology which appears to be important in the integration and manufacturing of these satellites. Laser direct-write processing techniques are being applied for rapid prototyping and to specific 3D fabrication steps where conventional microelectronics fabrication techniques fall short. In particular, a laser based technique has been developed that combines the rapid prototyping aspects of direct-write and the low cost/process uniformity aspects of batch processing. This technique has been used to develop various fluidic components and a microthruster subsystem in a photostructurable glass/ceramic material.

Aspect ratios, sizes, and etch rates in photostructurable glass-ceramic

Photostructurable glass-ceramics (PSGCs), although not yet widely used, are well suited to many micro-optical and micromechanical applications. Their appeal stems from the combination of the physical properties of glass-ceramics with the excellent three-dimensional shaping control that can be achieved by laser-patterning a transparent photostructurable material. The PSGCs are both mechanically and thermally robust. Exposure with a focused 355-nm pulsed laser beam initiates a cascade of reactions that ends in crystallization of a different phase of the glass-ceramic. The crystal-rich phase etches chemically much faster than the original crystal-free phase. In this experiment, we examined the dependence of the chemical etch rate on the aspect ratios and sizes of structures made from Foturan, a commercially available PSGC. We fabricated several types of test structures in 1-mm-thick Foturan samples. We tested the initial and long-term etch behavior of Foturan etched in 5% HF as a function of the size of the etched structure. An aspect ratio of 100 for a 10-μm-wide trench etched through a 1000-μm-thick sample was achieved.

Active photo-physical processes in the pulsed UV nanosecond laser exposure of photostructurable glass ceramic materials

We have performed experiments in which sample coupons of a commercial photostructurable glass ceramic (PSGC) material have been carefully exposed to various photon doses by pulsed UV nanosecond lasers at λ = 266 nm and λ = 355 nm. Following UV laser irradiation, the samples were analyzed by optical transmission spectroscopy to investigate the latent image and identify the photo-induced trapped (defect) state. The irradiated samples were thermally processed and the quenching of this trapped state and the concurrent growth of a spectral band associated with the formation of nanometer-scale metallic clusters was then observed using optical transmission spectroscopy. The results show that exposure at λ = 266 nm generates a defect state distribution that is markedly broader compared with the defect state distribution that is generated via λ = 355 nm excitation. The defect concentration formed with λ = 266 nm radiation is also much larger compared with the defect concentration associated with λ = 355 nm exposure. The results reveal that the metallic cluster concentration saturates with increasing laser irradiance, while the defect state concentration does not saturate. These studies have identified two precursor states of the exposed PSGC material that are tractable via spectroscopic techniques and could be used to refine the laser exposure and thermal processing of PSGC materials.