Nanomachining/Nanofabrication

This lab performs nanomachining research using femtosecond lasers. Results indicate that femtosecond lasers can remove nanolayers of material during a single pulse. In order to observe the nanomachining process research is conducted in a Philips Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (FEI ESEM). The University of Nebraska is in the process of building a class 100 clean room facility for conducting nanotechnology research and the fabrication of nanodevices. Research is being funded by Advanced Micron Devices(AMD) to detect nanosize particles on silicon wafers using femtosecond laser second harmonic detection methods. Sandia National Laboratories sponsors research on the cutting of MEM devices. NASA sponsors research on the use of femtosecond lasers to cut samples being returned from various space mission e.g. aerogel materials return from space containingdust from the tail of the comet. A Ti-Sapphire femtosecond laser nanomachining system is shown in the figure.

 

Cylinder cut from aerogel sample (20 mg/cc) by femtosecond laser radiation (lambda=800 nm). The cylinder has been partially removed from the bulk sample.

 

Side view of the aerogel sample during laser cutting. Scattered 800 nm laser radiation is visible through the material

 

High aspect ratio hole drilled in a silicon semiconductor chip

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