SGER: High Precision Pulsed Laser Curvature Modification

本探索性研究（SGER）小额资助项目的目的是开发和评估一种精度在亚微弧度量级的曲率修正技术。高精度的曲率修正在许多制造过程中都很有用，特别是在微电子工业中。例如，高容量计算机硬盘中某些部件所需的平面度在十纳米量级；它的曲率小于1微弧度。目前，还没有一种技术可以如此高精度地修改曲率。提出了一种基于激光的高精度曲率修正技术。利用可控脉冲激光束提高目标材料的温度，引起塑性变形，从而改变目标材料的曲率。本项目将对利用脉冲激光进行曲率修正的可行性进行探索性研究。研究了激光辐照下高精度曲率修正的可重复性以及材料的结构和性能变化。实验研究也将进行激光加工参数与激光诱导曲率变化的关联。该项目的研究成果将对精密激光弯曲技术的评价和发展起到指导作用。该项目将为研究生和本科生提供研究机会。这个研究项目也可以成为pi教授的“激光加工”课程的一个主题，让大量的学生了解新的激光加工技术。因此，该项目将有助于激光技术领域的人力资源开发。1

Xu DMI-9813758 The objective of this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project is to develop and evaluate a curvature modification technique with precision on the order of sub-micro-radians. High precision curvature modification is useful in many manufacturing processes, particularly in microelectronics industry. For example, the required flatness of some components in a high capacity computer hard disk is on the order of ten nanometers; its curvature is less than one micro radian. Currently, no technique is available for modifying curvature with such high precision. A laser-based high-precision curvature modification technique is proposed. A controlled pulsed laser beam will be used to raise the temperature of the target material and induce plastic deformation, therefore, to change the curvature of target material. The project work will carry out exploratory research on the feasibility of using pulsed lasers for curvature modification. The repeatability of high precision curvature modification, and materials' structural and property changes due to laser irradiation will be investigated. Experimental studies will also be conducted to correlate laser processing parameters with the laser-induced curvature change. The outcome of the project will be instrumental to the evaluation and development of the precision laser bending technology. This project will provide research opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students. This research project could also become a topic in the course taught by the P.I, "Laser Processing", so that a large number of students will be introduced to novel laser processing techniques. Therefore, this project will contribute to the human resource development in the area of laser technology. 1