Femtosecond laser micromachining can be used either to remove materials or to change a material's properties, and can be applied to both absorptive and transparent substances. Over the past decade, this technique has been used in a broad range of applications, from waveguide fabrication to cell ablation. This review describes the physical mechanisms and the main experimental parameters involved in the femtosecond laser micromachining of transparent materials, and important emerging applications of the technology. Interactions between laser and matter are fascinating and have found a wide range of applications. This article gives an overview of the fundamental physical mechanisms in the processing of transparent materials using ultrafast lasers, as well as important emerging applications of the technology.

Femtosecond laser micromachining in transparent materials

Digital holography is an emerging field of new paradigm in general imaging applications. We present a review of a subset of the research and development activities in digital holography, with emphasis on microscopy techniques and applications. First, the basic results from the general theory of holography, based on the scalar diffraction theory, are summarized, and a general description of the digital holographic microscopy process is given, including quantitative phase microscopy. Several numerical diffraction methods are described and compared, and a number of representative configurations used in digital holography are described, including off-axis Fresnel, Fourier, image plane, in-line, Gabor, and phase-shifting digital holographies. Then we survey numerical techniques that give rise to unique capabilities of digital holography, including suppression of dc and twin image terms, pixel resolution control, optical phase unwrapping, aberration compensation, and others. A survey is also given of representative application areas, including biomedical microscopy, particle field holography, micrometrology, and holographic tomography, as well as some of the special techniques, such as holography of total internal reflection, optical scanning holography, digital interference holography, and heterodyne holography. The review is intended for students and new researchers interested in developing new techniques and exploring new applications of digital holography.

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Principles and techniques of digital holographic microscopy

In this paper we review the micromachining of photonic devices in several materials by means of ultrashort laser pulses. The physical mechanisms underlying the refractive index modification and the different laser systems used to induce such modification are discussed. A thorough review of the photonic devices demonstrated with the femtosecond laser microfabrication technique is presented. In particular, this paper is focused on photonic devices based on optical waveguides. The devices are organized into two categories: passive and active devices. In the former category power splitters, directional couplers, interferometers and Bragg gratings are reviewed, while in the latter amplifiers and lasers are discussed. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives of femtosecond laser micromachining in photonics are provided.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1464-4258/11/1/013001/pdf

Micromachining of photonic devices by femtosecond laser pulses

A variable (0.2 to 5 MHz) repetition rate femtosecond laser was applied to delineate the role of thermal diffusion and heat accumulation effects in forming low-loss optical waveguides in borosilicate glass across a broad range of laser exposure conditions. For the first time, a smooth transition from diffusion-only transport at 200 kHz repetition rate to strong heat accumulation effects at 0.5 to 2 MHz was observed and shown to drive significant variations in waveguide morphology, with rapidly increasing waveguide diameter that accurately followed a simple thermal diffusion model over all exposure variables tested. Amongst these strong thermal trends, a common exposure window of 200 mW average power and approximately 15-mm/s scan speed was discovered across the range of 200 kHz to 2 MHz repetition rates for minimizing insertion loss despite a 10-fold drop in laser pulse energy. Waveguide morphology and thermal modeling indicate that strong thermal diffusion effects at 200 kHz give way to a weak heat accumulation effect at approximately 1 microJ pulse energy for generating low loss waveguides, while stronger heat accumulation effects above 1-MHz repetition rate offered overall superior guiding. A comprehensive characterization of waveguide properties is presented for laser writing in the thermal diffusion and heat accumulation regimes. The waveguides are shown to be thermally stable up to 800 degrees C and can be written in a convenient 520 microm depth range with low spherical aberration.

/pdf/transition-from-thermal-diffusion-to-heat-accumulation-in-26t3vtm7ri.pdf

Transition from thermal diffusion to heat accumulation in high repetition rate femtosecond laser writing of buried optical waveguides

We report photonic quantum circuits created using an ultrafast laser processing technique that is rapid, requires no lithographic mask and can be used to create three-dimensional networks of waveguide devices. We have characterized directional couplers—the key functional elements of photonic quantum circuits—and found that they perform as well as lithographically produced waveguide devices. We further demonstrate high-performance interferometers and an important multi-photon quantum interference phenomenon for the first time in integrated optics. This direct-write approach will enable the rapid development of sophisticated quantum optical circuits and their scaling into three-dimensions.

Laser written waveguide photonic quantum circuits

A femtosecond laser is used to fabricate both microfluidic channels and high quality optical waveguides, intersecting each other on a single glass substrate. Fluorescence in fluids filling the microfluidic channels has been selectively excited in several points by coupling light in the optical waveguides. Waveguide-microchannel integration opens several prospects for in situ sensing in lab-on-a-chip devices.

Integration of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels both fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation

We report on the fabrication of microfluidic channels in fused silica using femtosecond laser irradiation followed by chemical etching. Using an astigmatically shaped beam, we achieve microchannels with circular cross section and length up to 1.5mm. We use the same femtosecond laser, with different irradiation parameters, to fabricate high quality optical waveguides on the same substrate. The integration of microchannels and waveguides will enable a forthcoming class of biophotonic sensors.

Fabrication of long microchannels with circular cross section using astigmatically shaped femtosecond laser pulses and chemical etching

We report on the fabrication, by a 26 MHz stretched-cavity femtosecond Ti:sapphire oscillator, of optical waveguides in different glass substrates, and their optical characterization. Operation of these waveguides in the telecom range at 1.55 microm is demonstrated. Digital holography microscopy is used to measure their refractive index profile. The results evidence a strong dependence of the fabrication process on the glass matrix.

Optical properties of waveguides written by a 26 MHz stretched cavity Ti:sapphire femtosecond oscillator

A femtosecond laser is used to fabricate on a glass substrate both microfluidic channels and high quality optical waveguides, intersecting each other. Waveguide-channel integration opens new prospects for in-situ sensing in lab-on-chip devices.

Integration of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation

A report is presented on the fabrication, by a femtosecond stretched-cavity Ti:Sapphire oscillator, of passive photonic devices operating in the telecom range. The waveguides are written in IOG10 (Schott) glass. Characterisation and performances of a 1/spl times/2, 1/spl times/4 splitter are presented.

V. Maselli

Papers

Integration of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels both fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation

Fabrication of long microchannels with circular cross section using astigmatically shaped femtosecond laser pulses and chemical etching

Optical properties of waveguides written by a 26 MHz stretched cavity Ti:sapphire femtosecond oscillator

Integration of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation

Fabrication of 3D photonic devices at 1.55 [micro sign]m wavelength by femtosecond Ti:Sapphire oscillator