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

材料的纳米结构化是快速扩展应用领域的基础，超短激光正成为首选工具，具有非接触式加工的优势，可精确成形和图案，残留损伤极小。短脉冲激光进一步巩固了透明玻璃内部3D结构的独特能力。在这个方向上，提出了一个新的研究项目，围绕我们最近发现的一种新的激光干涉相互作用，发现在氮化硅薄膜的基础上的激光材料纳米结构的新手段。这里，光学干涉条纹形成为与表面平行，其首次可以产生薄的激光等离子体盘并形成横向修改区、纳米腔、薄气泡和从相互作用区的量化喷射，所述相互作用区比即使在用高分辨率透镜聚焦时也可能的要窄得多。这种新的控制手段以前没有预料到，并且在高温介电介质如光学膜中特别有吸引力，所述光学膜广泛用于处理微电子、光学、芯片实验室、光子、MEMS和光伏器件。该研究计划将提高我们对干涉和其他非线性过程（如自沟道）如何在透明薄膜和平板中共同发挥作用的基本理解，并作为开发新的纳米光学器件和形成新型纳米结构玻璃的基础。与两个行业合作伙伴共同追求可再生的制造方法，包括生物启发的概念，以加强低重量天窗的窗户，发明新型防反射表面和紧凑的微透镜阵列，并提供三维体积纹理以改善粘附力，润湿性或生物传感。另外，可渗透膜提供了包装材料或感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部生成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.