Femtosecond laser-materials interactions and applications to materials modification

在飞秒时间内产生极短光脉冲的超快激光器为广泛的基础研究和新应用打开了大门。这些光脉冲的持续时间非常短，与固体中的相关物理过程相比，能量在短时间内被传递到材料中。材料的改性可以在非常细的长度尺度上实现，延伸到纳米级。超短光脉冲还可以直接探索目标在超快激光脉冲照射后的极快演化动力学。本课题旨在将本课程组近年来建立的飞秒激光烧蚀和微加工的研究工作推进到一个新的阶段。近期项目涉及硅光子学，纳米尺度目标的修饰，包括碳纳米管，以及固体表面的相干纳米结构。太赫兹辐射能力将用于探索激光加工动力学和目标的最终状态。我们的目标是实现对光-物质相互作用的高水平控制，并使超快激光加工的结果越来越可预测。中期项目将通过实现新的激光束特性，大大提高能量输送到目标的选择性。在这个阶段，我们计划通过先进激光光源的设施将工作扩展到中红外，从而探索激光辐射和材料之间定性的新相互作用机制。我们还将利用加拿大电子显微镜中心的尖端能力，在高分辨率透射电子显微镜下进行基本的原位实验。随着激光和光学技术的进步，以及超快中红外技术的关键扩展，从长远来看，我们的研究计划将把我们带入生物物理学领域。我们在“发现”项目资助期间的工作将大大提高基于激光的材料改性能力，使加拿大在光子学和电子应用的新材料、新的激光和光电子技术以及基础材料科学的进步方面受益。

Ultrafast lasers producing extremely short light pulses on the femtosecond time frame have opened the door to a wide range of fundamental studies and novel applications. The duration of these light pulses is so short that energy is delivered to a material on a time frame fast compared with the relevant physical processes in the solid. The modification of the material can be achieved on very fine length scales extending to the nanometer regime. Ultrashort light pulses also directly enable the exploration of the extremely fast dynamics of the evolution of the target following ultrafast laser pulse irradiation. This proposal aims to launch a new phase of investigation in femtosecond laser ablation and micromachining which has been established in our group in recent years. Near term projects involve silicon photonics, modification of nano-scale targets including carbon nanotubes, and coherent nano-structuring of solid surfaces. TeraHertz radiation capabilities will be utilized in exploring laser processing dynamics and the final state of the targets. Our vision is to achieve a very high level of control of the light-matter interactions with increasingly predictable outcomes of ultrafast laser processing. Medium term projects will greatly enhance the selectivity in energy delivery to the targets through implementation of novel laser beam properties. At that stage, we plan to extend the work into the mid-infrared via facilities of the Advanced Laser Light Source, thereby exploring qualitatively new interaction regimes between laser radiation and materials. We will also utilize the cutting-edge capabilities of the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy to conduct fundamental in-situ experiments in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. With progress in laser and optical technologies, and key extensions into ultrafast mid-infrared, in the longer term we envision our research program taking us into the domain of biophysics. Our work through the period of the Discovery grant will lead to a much enhanced capability in laser-based materials modification, with benefits to Canada in terms of new materials for photonics and electronic applications, new laser and optoelectronic technologies, as well as advances in fundamental materials science.