Nd:YAG laser micromachining of SiC precision structures for MEMS

Micromachining of SiC with 1 omega, 2 omega, 3 omega -Nd:YAG laser radiation with pulse durations in the ps to ns regime is performed in various processing gas atmospheres as a function of processing variables showing the influence of the heat and pressure load onto the precision of geometric structures generated. The physical and chemical processes involved in micromachining with laser radiation are characterized by a machine vision system and the produced structures are analyzed by profilometry, optical and electron microscopy as well as X-photoelectron spectroscopy. 3d microstructures are produced by scanning and turning the laser beam onto the material surface, width of structures < 100 mum and surface roughness < 2 mum, for example, require an overlap < 0.8 independent of the type of processing gas under investigation.