LASER PROCESSING AND CHARACTERIZATION WITH FEMTOSECOND LASER PULSES

The nonlinear interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with matter allows the physical and chemical modification of materials at micro and nano-scale. We present an experimental set-up for direct laser structuring by ultra-short laser pulses using nonlinear laser absorption on various materials such as metallic film, transparent photorcsists, ceramics etc. A microscope for laser processing and laser characterization was designed and constructed to be coupled with various laser systems. The laser workstation was designed to be used for different laser structuring techniques such as laser ablation, two-photon photopolymerization (TPP), laser induced forward transfer (LIFT), near field laser lithography (NFLL). The configuration of the system allows also the spectroscopic characterization of materials by two-photon excitation (TPE).