P. A. Pivovarov

Propagation of short-pulsed laser radiation and stages of ablative deep-channel formation

Experiments on deep drilling of steel by 300 ps, 1 ps and 125 fs laser pulses are reported. The ablation rate dependence on the channel depth was studied and energy losses in through channels for different radiation parameters were measured. The low-threshold cluster-assisted air breakdown was revealed to play an important role in ablation by 300 ps pulses. The ablated particles remaining inside the channel between laser shots provide substantial reduction of the air breakdown threshold. Laser-induced spark produces noticeable shielding effect and, presumably, is main reason of observed deep channel widening. Pronounced strengthening of light shielding by laser-induced spark was observed under steel target ablation comparing with pure air without target for ultrashort (125 fs, 1 ps) laser pulses. The dramatic reduction of the drilling rate in deep channels was observed for all examined pulsewidths. In the case of 300 ps pulses, the drilling rate falls down sharply by two order of magnitude at a certain critical channel depth increasing with the incident laser fluence. It was found that the integral plasma transmittance (breakdown plus ablation) remains unchanged when the drilling rate decreases.

Effect of nonlinear scattering of radiation in air on material ablation by femtosecond laser pulses

This work investigates the role of ambient atmosphere in material ablation by ultra-short intense laser pulses. It is shown, that ablative action of femtosecond pulses reveals limitations imposed by nonlinear optical response of gases resulting in significant modification or the incident laser beam. This phenomenon called conical emission (CE) manifests itself as strong scattering or emission of radiation in the forward direction developed at focusing of intense pulses of Ti:Sa laser (π=110÷1500 fs) in air. Transformation of the nearly Gaussian spatial profile into a wide angle cone is followed by spectral conversion of the fundamental laser frequency into a broad spectrum with relatively shorter wavelengths extending up to the visible range. Thresholds, converted energy, spectra and profiles of scattered radiation were measured at variable laser pulse duration and the ambient pressure. It was found, that more than 70% of the incident pulse energy can be scattered at conventional focusing of the beam by a long focal length lens. Effect of CE on material ablation in air was investigated, and the data obtained allowed to explain paradox morphology of steel channels drilled by high power femtosecond pulses.

Role of gas environment in the process of deep-hole drilling by ultrashort laser pulses

The detailed study of the role of air pressure in deep hole drilling by femtosecond and picosecond intense laser pulses (Ti:Al 2 O 3 and Nd:YAP lasers) was performed in the range 1÷1000 mBar. Steel sample plates were mostly tested, experimental data obtained for ceramic materials is also presented. The following ablation parameters were measured and analyzed: ablation rates and their dependence on the channel depth, ablated crater morphology, optical transmission in channels after through hole formation. Both percussion and helical drilling regimes were used. Special attention was paid to two strong gas assisted effects typical of sub-picosecond and sub-nanosecond material ablation, which are low threshold gas breakdown in deep channels and nonlinear interaction of ultra-short intense pulses with air resulting in conical emission. Unwanted aspects of both phenomena were shown to disappear in a moderate vacuum of ~100 mBar. A new approach to formation of such a vacuum in drilled channels was also proposed and experimentally modeled using ultra-high repetition rate nanosecond laser pulses.

Generation of long-living charged nanoparticles at ablation in air and their role in pulsed microdrilling

The ablation of steel in air by short laser pulses was shown to form a long-living cloud of electrically charged submicron particles. These particles, being resident in the atmosphere of deep laser-produced channels within tens of seconds and carrying an electric charge during portions of a second, are able to initiate low-threshold gas breakdown resulting in the significant screening of the following pulses with a duration of ∼100 ps. The clouds contained mostly positively charged particles shaped as ideal spheres. The statistics of their diameters nearly followed the Poisson law with the peak at 400 nm. The total volume of the charged particles was nearly equal to the volume of the ablatively removed material. A new approach was proposed to eliminate the screening, which implied the use of an external electric field. This enabled the enhancement of drilling rates by up to 50 times. The electric charge, mobility, and discharge rates of the particles were measured using a conductivity technique.

Effect of low-threshold air breakdown on material ablation by short laser pulses

Ablative formation of channels in steel by picosecond and nanosecond pulses of Nd lasers was studied. It was found that significant screening of the incident energy (up to 80–90%) in this pulse duration range is caused by breakdown of air contaminated with ablated microparticles. The breakdown threshold, size of particles, and time of their settling down were estimated. It was shown that this kind of plasma screening results in a decrease in the ablation rate and significant channel widening. Practical approaches to eliminate the low-threshold breakdown induced by microparticles were proposed and implemented. These approaches are based on experimental results of the study of the dependences of laser ablation on the pressure and repetition rate. It was shown that a moderate decrease in the pressure below 300–400 mbar makes it possible to avoid screening. In high-repetition-rate ablation, it was found that values above several kilohertz correspond to quasi-vacuum conditions in the ablation spot.

Spectral dependences of conical emission in gases: Minimization of scattering for ultra-short pulsed laser ablation

Parameters of conical emission (CE), at focusing of femtosecond and short picosecond pulses in ambient gases, are characterized in a wide range of experimental conditions. Scattered and absorbed energy, the beam profiles and spectra are compared for different duration and wavelengths of laser radiation (harmonics of Ti:Sa and Yb:YAG laser). Shorter wavelengths were found to be most beneficial for elimination of CE. Nearly no scattering of short picosecond pulses was observed at 515 nm in the energy density range up to 300 J/cm2. The results are analyzed in terms of the contributing ultra-fast phenomena effecting refraction index of gases (the Kerr effect, different mechanisms of ionization). Advantages of the visible pulses are illustrated in deep drilling experiments.

Effect of submillisecond radiation of the erbium laser on absorbing liquid

Pressure pulses occurring in water under the effect of submillisecond radiation of the Er3+:YAG laser on the free and covered liquid surface were measured. The behavior of pressure pulses is caused by the photoacoustic effect, explosive boiling of the superheated liquid surface layer, and cavitation processes developing after laser exposure.

Scanning Probe Lithography of Dendrite-Like Nanostructures in Ultrathin Diamond-Like Nanocomposite Films

Dendrite-like structure growth in ultrathin diamond-like nanocomposite a-C:H,Si:O films have been studied in the course of electrically induced scanning probe lithography in the presence of a water adsorbate. The threshold magnitude of the electrical action is about 2 V, which is close to the potential of water electrolysis—1.23 V. The environment humidity crucially influences the growth of dendrite-like structures. Therefore, at a relative humidity of ~20%, hill-like protrusions occur, whereas, at a relative humidity of ~40%, some radially directed protrusions (ridges) appear and, at a relative humidity of ~60%, some branches arise from the ridges. It is established that the surface of the dendrite-like nanostructures is characterized by a higher friction force in the nanoscale when compared with the initial material under AFM testing. The growth mechanism and friction properties of the dendrite-like nanostructures are discussed.

Laser vaporisation of absorbing liquid under transparent cover

Vaporization of absorbing liquid (water) under a transparent solid cover upon exposure to nanosecond pulses of a holmium laser (λ = 2920 nm) is studied using acoustic and optical diagnostics. The features of the optical signal reflected from the liquid–cover interface suggest that a vapor cavity appears at a submicrometer distance from this interface and exists for about one hundred microseconds. An additional acoustic signal appearing after returning the light signal to the initial level is caused by known cavitation effects accompanying vapor cavity fracture and collapse in liquid.

Manipulations with diamond nanoparticles in SPM: the effect of electric field of the conductive probe tip

The role of the electric field during manipulations with diamond nanoparticles on a silicon substrate by a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip is studied. It is found that the attractive force appearing in the contact between nanodiamond and an electrically charged tip is sufficient to detach and displace a chosen nanoparticle from initial to goal position under moderate mechanical stresses of the probe to nanoparticle. The problem of the control of the tip motion trajectory during manipulations is solved by visualizing the tip trace of the sample surface. The results obtained will be used for precision positioning of single-photon emitters based on luminescent nanodiamonds in microcavities.