• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Laser Processing Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.60-65
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• 2006

Previous studies demonstrated that laser ablation under transparent liquid can result in ablation enhacement and particle removal from the surface. In this work, the liquid-assisted excimer laser ablation process is examined fer polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Si, and alumina with emphasis on ablation enhacement, surface topography, and debris formation. In the case of PET and PMMA, the effect of liquid is analyzed both fer thin water film and bulk water. As the ablation enhanement by liquid is already known for Si and alumina, the analysis focuses on surface topography and debris formation resulting from the liquid-assisted laser ablation process. The results show that application of liquid increases the ablation rate of PMMA while that of PET remains unchanged even in the liquid-assisted process. It is also revealed that the liquid can significantly improve the surface quality by reducing the debris deposition. However, the surface roughness is generally deteriorated in the liquid-assisted process. The surface toporaphy is found to be strongly dependent on the method of liquid application, i.e., thin film or bulk liquid.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2007

Previous studies demonstrated that laser ablation under transparent liquid can result in ablation enhancement and particle removal from the surface. Although the ablation enhancement by liquid is already known for semiconductor and metal, the phenomena of polymer ablation have not been studied. In this work, tile liquid-assisted excimer laser ablation process is examined for polymer materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) with emphasis on ablation enhancement and surface topography. In the case of PET and PMMA, the effect of liquid is analyzed both for thin water film and bulk water. The results show that application of liquid increases the ablation rate of PMMA while that of PET remains unchanged even in the liquid-assisted process. However, the surface roughness is generally deteriorated in the liquid-assisted process. The surface topography is found to be strongly dependent on the method of liquid application, i.e., thin film or bulk liquid.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2002

This paper describes the process of nanoparticle synthesis by laser ablation of consolidated microparticles. We have generated nanoparticles by high-power pulsed laser ablation of Al, Cu and Ag microparticles using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 355 nm, FWHM 5 ㎱, fluence 0.8∼2.0 J/㎠). Microparticles of mean diameter 18∼80 ㎛ are ablated in the ambient air The generated nanoparticles are collected on a glass substrate and the size distribution and morphology are examined using a scanning electron microscope and a transmission electron microscope. The effect of laser fluence and collector position on the distribution of particle size is investigated. The dynamics of ablation plume and shock wave is analyzed by monitoring the photoacoustic probe-beam deflection signal. Nanosecond time-resolved images of the ablation process are also obtained by laser flash shadowgraphy. Based on the experimental results, discussions are made on the dynamics of ablation plume.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.13-20
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• 2004

Manufacturing process for the microfluidic device can include such sequential steps as master fabrication, electroforming, and injection molding. The laser ablation using masks has been applied to the fabrication of channels in microfluidic devices. In this study, manufacturing of polymer master and mold insert for micro injection molding was investigated. Ablation of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) by the excimer laser radiation could be used successfully to make three dimensional master fur nickel mold insert. The mechanism fur ablative decomposition of PET with KrF excimer laser $({\lambda}: 248 nm, pulse duration: 5 ns)$ was explained by photochemical process, while ablation mechanism of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) is dominated by photothermal process, the .eaction between PC (polycarbonate) and KrF excimer laser beam generate too much su.face debris. Thus, PET was adopted in polymer master for nickel mold insert. Nickel electroforming using laser ablated PET master was preferable for replication method. Finally, it was shown that excimer laser ablation can substitute for X-ray lithography of LIGA process in microstructuring.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1335-1341
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• 2003

This paper describes the process of nanoparticle synthesis by laser ablation of microparticles and consolidated sample. We have generated nanoparticles by high-power pulsed laser ablation of AI, Cu and Ag microparticles using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 355nm, FWHM 6ns, fluence $0.8{\sim}2.0J/cm^2$). Microparticles of mean diameter $18{\sim}80{\mu}m$ are ablated in the ambient air. The generated nanoparticles are collected on a glass substrate and the size distribution and morphology are examined using a scanning electron microscope and a transmission electron microscope. The effect of laser fluence, collector position and compacting pressure on the distribution of particle size is investigated. To better understand the process of laser ablation of microparticle(LAM), we investigated the Nd: YAG laser-induced breakdown of Cu microparticle using time-resolved optical shadow images. Nanosecond time-resolved images of the ablation process are also obtained by laser flash shadowgraphy. Based on the experimental results, discussions are made on the dynamics of ablation plume.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.2 s.191
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• pp.134-139
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• 2007

Usually nanosecond pulsed laser processing of metal is mainly affected by the thermal ablation. Many studies of the theoretical analysis and modeling to predict the laser ablation of metal are suggested on the basis of the photothermal mechanism at higher laser fluence. In this paper, we investigate the etching depth and laser fluence of laser ablation of copper foils and propose the simplified SSB Model(Srinivasan-Smrtic-Babu model) to study the photothermal effect of nanosecond pulsed laser ablation. The experimental results show that the photothermal ablation of the 355nm DPSS $NdYVO_{4}$ laser is useful to process the copper thin foils.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1359-1365
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• 2011

The changes of ablation characteristics with respect to laser parameters and material parameters during pulsed laser ablation of solids were discussed with experimental results. Although laser wavelength, laser pulse width, and laser pulse energy are the primary factors to be considered, it is shown that other parameters such as laser spot size and material properties also critically influence on the ablation results. It is further demonstrated that the microstructural characteristics of the target can lead to completely different ablation rate and surface morphology.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2007

We have studied a laser direct writing lithography(LDWL). This is more important to apply to micro patterning using UV laser. We demonstrate the possibility of LDWL and construct the fabrication system. We use Galvano scanner to process quickly micro patterns from computer data. And laser beam is focused with $F-{\theta}$ lens. AZ5214 and SU-8 photoresist are chosen as experimental materials and a kind of well-known positive and negative photoresist respectively. Laser ablation mechanism depends on the optical properties of polymer. In this paper, therefore we investigate the phenomenon of laser ablation according to the laser fluence variation and measure the shape profile of micro patterned holes. From these experimental results, we show that LDWL is very useful to process various micro patterns directly.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.56-59
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• 2006

UV laser micromachining is generally used to create microstructures for micro-products through a sequence of lithography-based photo-patterning steps. However, the micromachining process is not suitable for rapid realization of complex 3D micro-products because it depends on worker experience. In addition, the cost and time required to make many masks are excessive. In this paper, a more effective and rapid micro-manufacturing process, which was developed based on laser micromachining, is proposed for fabricating micro-products directly using UV laser ablation and phase-change filling. The filling process is useful for holding the micro-products during the ablation step. The proposed rapid micro-manufacturing process was demonstrated experimentally by fabricating 3D micro-products from functional UV-sensitive polymers using 3D CAD data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.26-29
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• 2003

UV laser micromachining are generally used to create microstructures for micro product through a sequence of lithography-based photopatterning steps. However, the micromachining process is not suitable for the rapid realization of complex microscale 3D product because it depends on worker experiences, excessive cost and time to make many masks. In this paper, the more effective micro rapid manufacturing process, which is developed upon the base of laser micromachining. is proposed to fabricate micro products directly using UV laser ablation and phase change filling. The filling process is useful to hold the micro product during the next ablation step. The proposed micro rapid manufacturing process is also proven experimentally that enables to fabricate the 3D microscale products of UV sensitive polymer from 3D CAD data to functional micro parts.