Optical damage thresholds of microstructures made by laser three-dimensional nanolithography

Abstract

Direct laser writing based on non-linear three-dimensional nanolithography (also known as 3D laser lithography, 3DLL) is a powerful technology to manufacture polymeric micro-optical components. However, practical applications of these elements are limited due to the lack of knowledge about their optical resilience and durability. In this Letter, we employ 3DLL for the fabrication of bulk (i.e., fully filled) and woodpile structures out of different photopolymers. We then characterize them using the S-on-1 laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) measurements. In this way, quantitative data of LIDT values can be collected. Furthermore, this method permits to gather damage morphologies. The results presented demonstrate that LIDT values depend on the material and the geometry of the structure. Bulk non-photosensitized hybrid organic/inorganic photopolymer SZ2080 structures are found to be the most resilient with a damage threshold being 169 ± 15 m J / c m 2 .

Laser 3D Printing of Inorganic Free-Form Micro-Optics

“…Up to now, it was just partially realized and restricted to limitations such as: 2D/2.5D structures [14], or millimeter-scale dimensions [15,16], or non-transparent components [17]. It is intuitively obvious and clearly anticipated that the Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) of such inorganic optical components will be of higher values preferable in practical micro-optics [18] and nano-photonic applications [19], especially taking into account high-temperature or light-intensity, chemically harsh environments, and heavy duty applications [20]. Another wide area of applications of calcinated microoptical elements is in specialized spectral applications, e.g., in astro-photonics where UV transparent micro-optical elements are required for coupling light into optical fibers [21].…”

“…This pioneering work is creating a new dimension for true 3D and free-form inorganic micro-optics and extending the possibilities of well-established laser multi-photon 3D lithography as mature LDW technology. The calcination process removes the organic photo-initiator and thus provides benefits of keeping the inorganic micro-optics free from absorbing/coloring agents, which could cause loss of light [18] and even induce damage [19]. On the contrary, the LDW 3D nanolithography of glass-ceramics is in principle compatible with the doping of inorganic active compounds preserving their functionality while being embedded in a 3D structure's matrix [43].…”

Birefringent optical retarders from laser 3D-printed dielectric metasurfaces

“…5,6 Nowadays, femtosecond laser direct writing of photoresists is routinely used to 3D print freeform scalar dielectric permittivity distributions, not only in research labs but also in emerging high-tech companies, seeding future markets in optics and photonics. 7,8 All this provides with a handful of tools to address the following challenge: making laser 3D printing technology capable of creating free-form optics endowed with structured tensorial dielectric properties and, hence, with polarization-controlled optical functions.…”

Laser 3D Printing of Inorganic Free-Form Micro-Optics

“…Up to now it was just partially realized and restricted to limitations such as: 2D/2.5D structures [14], or millimeter-scale dimensions [15,16], or non-transparent components [17]. It is intuitively obvious and clearly anticipated that the Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) of such inorganic optical components will be of higher values preferable in practical micro-optics [18] and nano-photonic applications [19], especially taking into account high-temperature or light-intensity, chemically harsh environments, and heavy duty applications [20].…”