Next-Generation Ultrafast Laser Processing and Micromachining: Integrating Research with Practice

高功率超快激光器为下一代激光材料加工提供了显著的优势，特别是在小长度尺度上，这使得它们非常适合微加工和MEMS结构。 与超快激光相关的极高激光强度导致独特的非线性激光-材料相互作用，为激光-材料加工提供了创新的新可能性。 该提案提出了一系列统一的研究任务，这些任务既解决了基本的科学问题，又为现实世界的应用提供了实用的技术和解决方案。所提出的任务包括1）新颖的光束传输技术，用于将高质量、最小失真的超快激光束传输到工件以进行处理，而不需要真空室，2）透明材料的亚表面加工，其中可以在透明材料的表面下方制造特征，用于真正的三维微加工，3）对击穿和材料去除进行建模，以根据特定的超快激光参数预测给定材料的响应和去除率，以及4）对用于MEMS应用的新型材料（例如SU-8）进行精密加工，这与传统制造相比具有独特的能力。 研究任务的中心重点是提供基本的理解，同时为工业和其他现实世界的用户提供实用知识。 作为研究生和本科生的教育工具，该项目将提供光学，激光和微尺度（时间和空间）工程方面的优秀培训。 在传统的机械工程项目中，这些主题通常只涉及最低限度，如果有的话，这个项目将提供这些领域急需的培训。

High-power ultrafast lasers offer significant advantages for next-generation laser materials processing, particularly at small length scales, which makes them well suited for micromachining and MEMS structures. The extremely high laser intensities associated with ultrafast lasers result in unique, nonlinear laser-material interactions that provide innovative new possibilities for laser-material processing. This proposal presents a unified series of research tasks that address both fundamental scientific issues while presenting practical techniques and solutions for real-world applications. The proposed tasks include 1) novel beam delivery techniques for delivering a high-quality, minimal distortion ultrafast laser beam to a workpiece for processing without the need for a vacuum chamber, 2) sub-surface machining of transparent materials in which features can be fabricated underneath the surface of transparent materials for true three-dimensional micromachining, 3) modeling breakdown and material removal to predict a given material's response and removal rates from specific ultrafast laser parameters, and 4) precision processing of novel materials such as SU-8 for MEMS applications, which presents unique capabilities over traditional manufacturing. A central focus of the research tasks is to provide both fundamental understanding while at the same time providing practical knowledge for industrial and other real-world users. As an educational tool for both graduate and undergraduate students, the project will provide excellent training in optics, lasers, and engineering on the microscale (both time and space). These topics are often only minimally covered, if at all, in traditional mechanical engineering programs, and this project will provide much needed training in these areas.