Transparent dielectric layers on semiconductors are used as anti-reflection coatings both for photovoltaic applications and for mid-infrared optical elements. We have shown recently that selective ablation of such layers is possible using ultrashort laser pulses at wavelengths being absorbed by the semiconductor. To get a deeper understanding of the ablation mechanism, we have done ablation experiments for different transparent materials, in particular SiO₂ and SixNy on silicon, using a broad range of wavelengths ranging from UV to IR, and pulse durations between 50 and 2000 fs. The characterization of the ablated regions was done by light microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Utilizing laser wavelengths above the silicon band gap, selective ablation of the dielectric layer without noticeable damage of the opened silicon surface is possible. In contrast, ultrashort pulses (1-2 ps) at mid-infrared wavelengths already cause damage in the silicon at lower intensities than in the dielectric layer, even when a vibrational resonance (e.g. at λ = 9.26 μm for SiO₂) is addressed. The physical processes behind this, on the first glance counterintuitive, observation will be discussed.

Date Published: 28 November 2011
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8190, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2011, 81901Z (28 November 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.899066

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8190:
Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2011
Gregory J. Exarhos; Vitaly E. Gruzdev; Joseph A. Menapace; Detlev Ristau; M. J. Soileau, Editor(s)