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

这项研究的重点是深入了解激光诱导等离子体微加工新工艺的物理原理，与传统的聚焦激光微加工相比，激光诱导等离子体微加工有望实现更好、更快的微特征加工。将建立基于物理的模型，以研究等离子体产生的机制、等离子体与物质的相互作用以及加工特征几何形状的预测。将探索新的光学技术和对这一过程的独特增强，其基础是将等离子体的形状光学操作成等离子体图案而不是斑点。这将使加工生产率和速度提高至少一个数量级，并有助于制造二维和三维几何图形和图案。还将进行涉及该过程各方面机制的全面实验，以验证所开发的模型。如果成功实现，预计该项目创造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优势，如多材料能力、低热影响区、高产量、更大的加工灵活性，以及最重要的是，其基于图案或特征/区域的加工，而不是基于点的或基于书写的加工。与当前基于聚焦激光束的微制造工艺相比，后一种能力将显著提高工艺生产能力。加工能力将包括在包括金属、聚合物、陶瓷、复合材料和其他透明、反射和脆性材料在内的各种材料上生成高精度特征的能力，如深通道、酒窝、通孔和其他自由结构。所获得的结果也将为基于非光刻技术的单步微制造技术的新研究打开大门，以建立和产生微/介观尺度的器件和图案。

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.