The vectorial nature (polarization) of light plays a significant role in light-matter interaction
that leads to a variety of optical devices. The polarization property of light
has been exploited in imaging, metrology, data storage, optical communication and
also extended to biological studies. Most of the past studies fully explored and dealt
with the conventional polarization state of light that has spatially symmetric electrical
field geometry such as linear and circular polarization. Recently, researchers
have been attracted to light whose electric field vector varies in space, the so-called
optical vector vortex beam (VVB). Such light is expected to further enhance and
improve the efficiency of optical systems. For instance, a radially polarized light
under focusing condition is capable of a tighter focus more than the general optical
beams with a uniform polarization structure, which improves the resolution of the
imaging system [1].
Interaction of ultrafast laser pulses with matter leads to numerous applications
in material processing and biology for imaging and generation of microfluidic systems.
A femtosecond pulse, with very high intensities of (10^{12} - 10^{13} W/cm^2), has
the potential to trigger a phenomenon of optical breakdown at the surface and therefore
induce permanent material modification. With such high intensities and taking
into account the fact that most materials possess large bandgap, the interaction is
completely nonlinear in nature, and the target material can be modified locally upon the surface and even further in bulk. The phenomenon of optical breakdown can be
further investigated by studying the nonlinear absorption. Properties like very short
pulse duration and the high irradiance of ultrashort laser pulse lead to more precise
results during the laser ablation process over the long pulsed laser. The duration of
femtosecond laser pulse provides a high resolution for material processing because
of the significant low heat-affected zone (HAZ) beyond the desired interaction spot
generated upon irradiating the material. Under certain condition, the interaction
of intense ultrashort light pulses with the material gives rise to the generation of
periodic surface structures with a sub-micron periodicity, i.e., much smaller than the
laser wavelength. The self-oriented periodic surface structures generated by irradiating
the material with multiple femtosecond laser pulses results in improving the
functionality of the material's surface such as controlling wettability, improving thin
film adhesion, and minimizing friction losses in automobile engines, consequently,
influences positively on many implementations.
In this work, we introduced a new method to study complex polarization states
of light by imprinting them on a solid surface in the form of periodic nano-structures.
Micro/Nanostructuring of diamond by ultrafast pulses is of extreme importance because
of its potential applications in photonics and other related fields.
We investigated periodic surface structures usually known as laser-induced periodic surface
structures (LIPSS) formed by Gaussian beam as well as with structured light carrying
orbital angular momentum (OAM), generated by a birefringent optical device
called a q-plate (QP). We generated conventional nano-structures on diamond
surface using linearly and circularly polarized Gaussian lights at different number
of pulses and variable pulse energies. In addition, imprinting the complex polarization state of different orders of optical vector vortex beams on a solid surface was fulfilled in the form of periodic structures oriented parallel to the local electric field of optical light. We also produced a variety of unconventional surface structures by superimposing a Gaussian beam with a vector vortex beam or by superposition of different order vector vortex beams.
This thesis is divided into five chapters, giving a brief description about laser-matter
interaction, underlying the unique characterization of femtosecond laser over
the longer pulse laser and mechanisms of material ablation under the irradiation of
fs laser pulse. This chapter also presents some earlier studies reported in formation
of (LIPSS) fabricated on diamond with Gaussian. The second chapter explains the
properties of twisted light possessing orbital angular momentum in its wavefront, a
few techniques used for OAM generation including a full explanation of the q-plate
from the fabrication to the function of the q-plate, and the tool utilized to represent
the polarization state of light (SoP), a Poincar'e sphere. Finally, the experimental details and results are discussed in the third and fourth chapters, respectively,
following with a conclusion chapter that briefly summarizes the thesis and some
potential application of our findings.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/39850 |
| Date | 19 November 2019 |
| Creators | Alameer, Maryam |
| Contributors | Bhardwaj, Ravi |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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