<p> This thesis reports findings from three series of experiments related to ultrashort laser pulse interactions with materials. The first series investigates the formation of laser induced ripples that have spatial periods much shorter than the irradiation wavelength after laser irradiation. The second series of experiments explores the capabilities of ultrashort pulse laser micromachining on optical fiber modifications for niche applications. Lastly, preliminary work in establishing a double-pulse ablation technique is reported. </p> <p> The first set of experiments reported in this thesis investigates the morphology of surface ripples that are generated when irradiated with multiple ultrashort laser pulses. Two types of surface ripples can form after irradiation. The fust type has spatial periods near the wavelength of the irradiation pulses and the second has spatial periods substantially below the irradiation wavelength (typically 114 to 115 of the free-space irradiation wavelength are observed in our studies). These substantially subwavelength ripples form when the irradiation wavelength corresponds to a photon energy that is below the bandgap of the target material. The Ti:Sapphire laser systems used in this series of experiments provides pulses centered around 800 nm. Gallium phosphide (GaP) was chosen to be the main material for investigation since 800 nm corresponds to a photon energy that is below the bandgap of this material; no frequency conversion needs to be carried out when GaP is the material of choice for subwavelength ripples studies. In this series of experiments substantially different irradiation conditions were investigated: pulse durations varied from 150 fs to 7 ns, laser energies ranges from well above the ablation and modification threshold to well below, both 800 nm and 400 nm wavelengths, and "scrambled" (where polarization was rotated between each successive pulse) polarization as well as circular polarization were used. Microscopy techniques employed to study these ripples include optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Cross-sectional studies with transmission electron microscopy were also carried out by using focused ion beam milling to prepare thin specimens across irradiated regions. Sapphire was also used as the irradiation target for 800 nm and 400 nm pulses since it has a large bandgap and even 400 nm corresponds to an energy that is below its bandgap. Irradiation conditions where the two types of ripples are observed are determined. Also, microscopy of the ripple features provided insights in to the formation mechanism of the subwavelength ripples. </p> <p> In the second series of experiments, preliminary work was performed to investigate the capabilities of ultrashort laser micromachining in fiber optic applications. This series of experiments can be subdivided in to two categories. </p> <p> The goal of the first fiber investigation was to create a slit in a metallic coating deposited on a fiber facet. Such a feature might eliminate the use of external slits (e.g. for spectrometers), especially ifthe output of the fiber depends on its geometry (e.g. polarization-maintaining fiber). The first experiment carried out was micromachining of a ~ 180 nm layer of gold that was deposited on a glass substrate, in order to determine irradiation conditions where the gold layer can be removed while the glass is not damaged. Once the irradiation condition was established by studying the micromachined gold layer on glass substrate, gold layers were deposited on fiber facets for micromachining experiments. The results showed promising potential, but fme tuning of the irradiation parameters, and processing as well as microscopy techniques are needed before useful applications can be realized. </p> <p> The second set of fiber experiments investigates irradiation conditions that are appropriate to micromachine features into fibers such as v-grooves and beveled ends. Preliminary work was carried out to determine a suitable focusing scheme for this application. Different pulse durations and a pulse train were also employed in hope of minimize chipping and cracking. This investigation did not reach a conclusion on whether micromachining with ultrashort laser pulses are in fact suitable for processing of optical fibers, where high quality facets are required. Future investigation could provide further information on the feasibility of laser micromachining on fabricating features in optical fibers. </p> <p> Lastly, a double-pulse ablation scheme was established and explored. Double-pulse ablation had been reported in the literature to improve material removal rate and the appearance of the fmal morphology. However, this setup can be adapted to investigate the ablation mechanisms and provide insight into the state of the material at different time frames of ablation. While the experimental results are preliminary, this technique showed potential, along with possible extensions of this technique, to further investigate the ablation mechanisms. </p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

An investigation into the feasibility of laser ablation as a material selective removal technique was conducted. Polyimide films approximately 1 micron thick were prepared on silicon wafers. The ablation rate of these films as a function of laser fluence was studied. It was observed that a minimum threshold fluence of 67 +/- 6 mJ/cm^2 had to be surpassed to achieve a significant material removal rate. In addition to polyimide, the removal and damage characteristics of aluminum films were also examined. These films, which ranged in thickness from 50 to 1000 nm, were deposited on polyimide coated silicon wafers. It was found that the best results were produced by a single shot removal technique, with the quality of the hole dependent upon the incident fluence. At lower fluences, removal ceased and only physical damage to the film occurred. In an attempt to characterize this damage, the electrical resistance of small aluminum wires was monitored as they were exposed to laser pulses. It was found that a change in the resistance of the wires could not be detected prior to the onset of visible damage. Once the optimal removal fluences for both materials were determined, a multilayer consisting of an aluminum layer "sandwiched" between two polyimide layers was prepared. By varying only the incident fluence, it was possible to remove upper layers without removing or damaging the underlying ones. In a related experiment, the possible incubation of polyimide by low fluence laser pulses was also examined. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

Les interactions entre un milieu diélectrique et des impulsions laser intenses sont étudiées, d’abord d’un point de vue général, puis dans le contexte de la fabrication de nanostructures de surface auto-organisées. Les bases de l’électromagnétisme, de l’optique et de la physique des plasmas sont posées, avant de présenter la première contribution majeure de cette étude. Un nouveau modèle décrivant la formation de plasma induit par laser dans un milieu diélectrique, nommé delayed rate equations (DRE), est présenté. Ce modèle d’ionisation a les avantages d’être facile à implémenter dans une simulation numérique, peu coûteux en ressources computationnelles. L’émergence de nanostructures périodiques auto-organisées à la surface initialement rugueuse et aléatoire de matériaux exposés à des impulsions laser est ensuite étudiée numériquement, en tenant compte des effets électromagnétiques (équations de Maxwell). La seconde contribution majeure est l’implémentation d’une boucle de rétroaction dans les simulations, entre le champ électromagnétique et le plasma en formation. Ces simulations révèlent un nouveau phénomène, l’auto-reconfiguration de nanostructures de plasma, se produisant durant l’interaction. Finalement, on effectue des simulations multi-impulsionnelles qui permettent d’observer l’évolution de la forme de la surface après chaque impulsion laser. On observe la croissance de nanostructures de surface ayant une période et une orientation semblables à celles obtenues dans la densité du plasma après sa reconfiguration. Ceci confirme l’hypothèse que les motifs observés dans le plasma peuvent effectivement être inscrits de façon permanente dans la forme de la surface. / The interactions between intense laser pulses and a dielectric medium are studied, first in a general perspective, then in the context of the fabrication of self-organized surface nanostructures. After going through the rudiments of electromagnetism, optics and plasma physics, the first major contribution of this study is presented. A novel model for laser-induced plasma formation in dielectrics, the delayed rate equations model (DRE) is described. This ionization model has several advantages, among which are the ease of implementation in numerical simulations and low computational cost, while preserving all the advantages of the state of the art model that can be incorporated in tridimensional simulations. The emergence of periodic self-organized nanostructures at the initially rough and random surface of materials after being exposed to intense light is then numerically studied in a time domain electromagnetic framework. The second major contribution is the implementation of a feedback loop in the simulations, between the electromagnetic field and the plasma information. Simulations reveal a new phenomenon, the self-reconfiguration of plasma nanostructures, which occurs at the laser pulse time scale. Finally, multi-pulses simulations are performed, revealing the evolution of the shape of the irradiated surface after each laser pulse. The growth of surface nanostructures with period and orientation similar to what was observed in the plasma density, after its reconfiguration, is observed. This confirms the hypothesis that the plasma patterns can effectively be permanently inscribed in an irradiated surface.

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

All modern terawatt- and petawatt-class laser systems are based on the principle of chirped-pulse amplification (CPA). In this work, a compact subsystem that shifts a micro-joule portion of the chirped pulse energy to a new wavelength outside its original bandwidth, then amplifies it to millijoule energy without adding pump lasers, and without compromising the output of the fundamental CPA system in any significant way, has been developed and integrated into a standard terawatt-class CPA system. In this chirped pulse Raman amplifier sub-system, a 30 mJ portion of a chirped 800 nm fundamental pulse within the CPA system was split into two unequal portions, each of which impinged on a Raman-active barium nitrate, or Ba(NO3)2, crystal of length 5 cm. The weaker portion created a weak (15 J) first Stokes pulse (873 nm) by Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) in the first crystal, which then seeded a non-collinear four-wave-mixing process driven by the stronger portion of the split-off CPA pulse in the second crystal. The latter process amplified the first Stokes seed pulse to several millijoules with excellent beam quality. A study of Raman gain as a function of time delay between pump and Stokes pulse in the second crystal revealed a sharply peaked narrow interval ( 3 ps FWHM) of high gain and a wider interval ( 50 ps) of low gain. The amplified, chirped first Stokes pulse was successfully compressed to 100 fs duration using a grating pair of different line density than in the main CPA system, based on a comprehensive dispersion analysis of the optical path of the first Stokes pulse. The possibility of generating higher-order Stokes and anti-Stokes sidebands of the CPA pulse is also demonstrated. Further amplification of the sideband pulse by conventional methods, using an additional pump laser, appears straightforward. The chirped pulse Raman amplifier provides temporally synchronized fundamental and Raman sideband pulses for performing two-color, high-intensity laser experiments, some of which are briefly discussed. It can be integrated into any standard CPA system, and provides significant new versatility for high-intensity laser sources. / text

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.