• Laser Solutions
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.19-28
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• 2003

The manufacturing process for the microfluidic device can include sequential steps such 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 research, an excimer laser was used to engrave microscopic channels on the surface of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which shows a high absorption ratio for an excimer laser beam with a wavelength of 248 m. When 50-${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$-wide rectangular microscopic channels are ablated with a 500 ${\times}$ 500 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ square mask at a magnification ratio of 1/10, ditch-shaped defects were found in both corners. The measurement of laser beam intensity showed that a coherent image in the PET target caused such defects. Analysis based on the Fourier diffraction theory enabled the prediction of the coherent shape at the image surface as well as the diffraction beam shape between the mask and the image surface. It also showed that the diameter of the aperture had a dominant effect. The application of aperture with a diameter of less than 3 mm helped to eliminate such defects in the ablated rectangular microscopic channels on PET without such ditch-shaped defects.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.312-320
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• 2003

The basic mechanistic aspects of the interaction and practical considerations related to polymer ablation were briefly reviewed. Photochemical and photothermal effects, which highly depend on laser wavelength have close correlation with each other. In this study, multi-scanning laser ablation processing of polymer with a DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State) 3rd harmonic Nd:YVO$_4$ laser (355 nm) was developed to fabricate a three-dimensional micro shape. Polymer fabrication using DPSSL has some advantages compared with the conventional polymer ablation process using KrF and ArF laser with 248 nm and 193 nm wavelength. These advantages include pumping efficiency and low maintenance cost. And this method also makes it possible to fabricate 2D patterns or 3D shapes rapidly and cheaply because CAD/CAM software and precision stages are used without complex projection mask techniques. Photomachinability of polymer is highly influenced by laser wavelength and by the polymer's own chemical structure. So the optical characteristics of polymers for a 355 nm laser source is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The photophysical and photochemical parameters such as laser fluence, focusing position, and ambient gas were considered to reduce the plume effect which re-deposits debris on the surface of substrate. These phenomena affect the surface roughness and even induce delamination around the ablation site. Thus, the process parameters were tuned to optimize for gaining precision surface shape and quality. This maskless direct photomachining technology using DPSSL could be expected to manufacture tile prototype of micro devices and molds for the laser-LIGA process.