Laser micro machining beyond the diffraction limit using a photonic nanojet. Issue 1 (2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Uenohara, Tsutomu; Takaya, Yasuhiro; Mizutani, Yasuhiro
• Is Part Of: CIRP annals. Volume 66:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 491
• Page End: 494
• Publication Date: 2017
• Subjects: Laser micro machining -- Nano structure -- Photonic nanojet; Production engineering -- Research -- Periodicals; 670.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cirp.2017.04.068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-8506

Abstract

Abstract: Conventional laser machining with a focused laser beam is difficult to use for sub-micrometre machining because of the optical diffraction limit. We therefore propose a laser machining method that uses a photonic nanojet with a fine-beam profile generated from a dielectric microsphere illuminated by laser light. The beam diameter is several hundred nanometres, which exceeds the diffraction limit. By controlling the intensity distribution and position, the processed feature size can be controlled at the sub-micrometre scale. A hole with a diameter of approximately 200 nm was machined using a photonic nanojet with a wavelength of 800 nm.