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Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Patented laser technology to silicon nano and micro structuring by induced plasma lens.

Country of Origin: Spain
Reference Number: TOES20160721001
Publication Date: 21 July 2016

Summary

An andalusian University has developed a new technique to obtain multiple silicon nano-structuring effects with no need for high power femtosecond (fs) laser pulses or particular experimental conditions such as a controlled atmosphere or specific multiple-beam interference configurations. The University is looking to develop it further under a license, commercial agreement with technical assistance, or technical cooperation.

Description

Nano-structuring of a metal surface with laser irradiation is a primary area of interest into the nano technologies. Many studies have been carried on the formation of more or less ordered nano silicon structures when a metal or semiconductor substrate is irradiated with pulsed laser. There are a wide range of nanostructuring possibilities such as high value and opens new avenues in the emerging field of optical components based on plasmas like plasma mirrors and optically controlled plasma gratings.



Inducted plasma laser can be used as an effective optical medium for laser nano patterning of silicon surfaces. A laser pulse is focused onto a metallic target in order to generate a plasma lens, while a second laser pulse is aimed at the plasma lens and, subsequently, hits a silicon substrate whose surface becomes printed with a periodic structure. Several control parameters are possible such as the timing between the laser pulses, the atmosphere composition and pressure or the materials used to generate the plasma lens, among others.

The technique is applicable to obtaining micro and nano structures at different scales, making it attractive for a high number of applications. 



Partners from research institutes and companies active in the areas mentioned above are sought for further development with this research group with more than 15 years of experience on photovoltaic cells, studies of the electrical properties of solids, multilayered systems and interfaces.

Advantages and Innovations

This patent proposes a simple technique for obtaining a multiple nano-structuring effect without the need of high power fs laser pulses or particular experimental conditions such as controlled environment or specific optical configurations for obtaining interference between multiple beams. A laser induced plasma plume is used as a non-linear optical element for a second laser beam which crosses the plasma perpendicularly to its expansion axis, i.e. perpendicular to the first laser beam. By varying some parameters, as the time delay between the two lasers beams or the fluence of the laser generating the plasma plume, different patterns can be induced on the surface of a silicon substrate.

Stage Of Development

Available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

Many works have been carried out on the consolidation of more or less ordered, or periodic, nano-structures when a metal or semiconductor substrate is irradiated with pulsed laser light. Such kind of structures has been obtained with techniques based on laser scanning microscopes with ultra-short laser pulses (in the order of some hundreds fs). Also, the formation of nano-scale columnar or conical structures has been widely studied in various experimental conditions. However, all these processes have been found to be dependent on the surrounding environment present during the irradiation. The entire process depends on several experimental conditions such as the laser wavelength and the angle of incidence to the surface, the refractive index of the ambient medium and the electron density of the molten material.

Other approaches use an interference pattern between the incident or refracted light and scattered waves propagating parallel to the surface. Further experimental works showed the possibility to obtain 2D gratings or ordered arrays of protrusive nano-structures by a two beam irradiation of a silicon surface achieved using a Lloyd mirror configuration or, in general, by the interference between two or more laser beams.

Requested partner

- Type of partner sought: companies related with optical components based on plasma as well as with nano materials.

- Specific area of activity of the partner: Treatment and coating of materials, surface treatment technologies, biosensor or related fields.

- Task to be performed by the partner sought: Arrangement of the acquisition of the license and coworking for the implementation of the system through technical cooperation agreement.