Quantized structuring of transparent film and plates with ultrfast laser interference and filamentation

材料的纳米结构是快速扩大应用领域的基础，其中超短激光正成为一种首选工具，其非接触加工的好处是精确的形状和图案，而残留损伤非常小。短脉冲激光进一步巩固了在透明玻璃内部进行3D结构的独特能力。在这个方向上，围绕我们最近在氮化硅薄膜中发现的一种新的激光干涉相互作用的发现，提出了一个新的研究项目，这为激光材料纳米结构的新方法奠定了基础。这里，光学干涉条纹与表面平行地形成，这第一次可以产生薄激光等离子体盘并形成横向改性区、纳米腔、薄水泡和来自相互作用区的量化抛射，这些相互作用区比即使使用高分辨率透镜聚焦时也可能窄得多。这种新的控制手段是以前未曾预料到的，尤其是在高温介电介质中，如光学薄膜，在微电子、光学、芯片实验室、光子、MEMS和光伏器件的加工中被广泛使用。 这项研究计划将提高我们对干涉和其他非线性过程(如自通道)如何在透明薄膜和平板中共同发挥作用的基本理解，并为开发新的纳米光学器件和形成新型纳米结构玻璃奠定基础。与两个行业合作伙伴在包括生物启发概念的方向上追求可重复的制造方法，以加强轻质天窗的窗户，发明新型的抗反射表面和紧凑型微透镜阵列，并提供三维体积纹理以改善附着力、润湿性或生物传感。或者，超薄薄膜提供了包装材料或检测机械性能的新方法。最后，量子激光相互作用提供了在薄膜内产生复杂的多层纳米流体网络的机会，这可能允许灵活的薄膜实验室设备与智能手机、相机或微电子芯片集成。

Nano-structuring of materials is the basis of rapidly expanding application areas where ultrashort lasers are becoming a tool of choice with benefits of non-contact processing that precisely shape and pattern with very little residual damage. Short-pulsed lasers further underpin a unique capability for 3D structuring inside transparent glasses. In this direction, a new research project is proposed around our recent discovery of a novel laser interferometric interaction discovered in silicon-nitride film that underlies a new means for laser material nanostructuring. Here, optical interference fringes are formed parallel with the surface that for the first time can create thin laser plasma disks and form lateral modification zones, nanocavities, thin blisters and quantized ejection from interaction zones substantially narrower than is possible even when focusing with high resolution lenses. This new means of control has not been previously anticipated, and is especially attractive in high temperature dielectric media like optical films that find widespread use in processing microelectronic, optical, lab-on-chip, photonic, MEMs, and photovoltaic devices. The research program will improve our fundamental understanding of how the interference and other nonlinear processes such as self-channelling can play together in transparent films and plates and serve as a basis for developing new nano-optical devices and forming novel nanostructured glasses. Reproducible manufacturing methods are pursued with two industry partners in directions that include bio-inspired concepts to strengthen windows for low-weight sunroofs, invent new types of anti-reflection surfaces and compact microlens arrays, and provide three-dimensional volume texturing for improving adhesion, wetting, or biosensing. Alternatively, ultrathin membranes offer new ways to package materials or sense mechanical properties. Lastly, quantum laser interaction offers the opportunity for generating complex multi-layered nanofluidic networks inside thin film that may permit flexible lab-in-film devices to be integrated with smart phones, cameras or microelectronic chips.