Process Modeling and Enhancements of Laser-Induced Plasma Micro-Machining (LIP-MM)

激光诱导等离子体微加工 (LIP-MM) 的工艺建模和增强

• 批准号: 1335014
• 负责人: Kornel Ehmann
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Northwestern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1335014&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Process; Modeling; Enhancements; Laser; Induced

The focus of this research is to gain deeper insight into the physics of the new process of Laser Induced Plasma Micromachining, which promises better and faster micro-feature fabrication as compared to conventional micro-machining with a focused laser beam. Physics-based models will be formulated for the investigation of the mechanisms of plasma generation, plasma-matter interaction, and the prediction of machined feature geometry. New optical techniques and unique enhancements to this process, based on the optical manipulation of the shape of the plasma into plasma patterns rather than a spot, will be explored. This will increase process productivity and speed by at least one order of magnitude, and facilitate the fabrication of two- and three-dimensional geometries and patterns. Comprehensive experiments involving all aspects of the mechanics of the process will also be performed to validate the models developed. If successfully realized it is anticipated that the technology created by this project will enable major advances in critical areas of miniaturization technologies, given its multiple concomitant advantages such as its multi-materials capability, low heat-affected zone, high throughput, greater in-process flexibility and, most importantly, its pattern or feature/area-based rather than spot-based or writing nature of machining. This latter ability will result in significantly increased process throughput as compared to current focused laser beam based micro-manufacturing processes. Process capabilities will include the ability to generate high-accuracy features such as deep channels, dimples, through holes and other freeform structures on a variety of materials including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites and other transparent, reflective and brittle materials. The obtained results will also open doors for new research on non-lithography based single-step micro-manufacturing techniques for building and generating micro/meso-scale devices and patterns.

这项研究的重点是更深入地了解激光诱导等离子体微加工新工艺的物理原理，与使用聚焦激光束的传统微加工相比，该工艺有望实现更好、更快的微特征制造。将制定基于物理的模型，用于研究等离子体生成机制、等离子体与物质相互作用以及加工特征几何形状的预测。将探索基于将等离子体形状光学操纵成等离子体图案而不是点的新光学技术和对该过程的独特增强。这将提高工艺生产率和速度至少一个数量级，并促进二维和三维几何形状和图案的制造。还将进行涉及过程力学各个方面的综合实验，以验证所开发的模型。如果成功实现，预计该项目创建的技术将在小型化技术的关键领域取得重大进展，因为它具有多种伴随的优势，例如多材料能力、低热影响区、高吞吐量、更大的加工灵活性，最重要的是，其基于图案或特征/区域而不是基于点或写入的加工性质。与当前基于聚焦激光束的微制造工艺相比，后一种能力将显着提高工艺产量。工艺能力将包括在各种材料上生成高精度特征的能力，例如深通道、凹坑、通孔和其他自由形状结构，包括金属、聚合物、陶瓷、复合材料和其他透明、反射和脆性材料。所获得的结果也将为基于非光刻的单步微制造技术的新研究打开大门，该技术用于构建和生成微/中尺度器件和图案。