Laser-induced backside wet etching of silica glass with ns-pulsed DPSS UV laser at the repetition rate of 40 kHz

Abstract

Surface micro-structuring of silica glass plates was performed by using laser- induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) upon irradiation with a single-mode laser beam from a diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) UV laser with 40 kHz repetition rate at 266 nm. We have succeeded in a well-defined micro-pattern formation without debris and microcrack generation around the etched area on the basis of a galvanometer scanning system for the laser beam. Bubble dynamics after liquid ablation was monitored by impulse pressure detection with a fast- response piezoelectric pressure gauge. © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd.