PULSED LASER CLEANING OF PARTICLES FROM SURFACES & OPTICAL MATERIALS

Abstract

has been developing techniques for cleaning applications in the optics, optoelectronics and photonics industries. Dry/raised humidity cleaning techniques are favoured for small scale optical, integrated-optic and photonic devices. All of wet, damp and dry laser-cleaning methods are applicable to larger scale optics. All of our studies to date have measured the laser cleaning result effected by a single laser pulse. Excellent removal efficiencies of alumina particles (0.3 urn -tens of microns) from glass surfaces have been obtained. Also we have used "dry" particles rather than particles in suspension. Use of dry particles leads to significant agglomeration, thus, our studies evaluate the impact of particle agglomeration on laser cleaning results. In the sections that follow we firstly present some tables summarizing the results from experimental laser cleaning studies, from the research literature published at the time of writing. Then, secondly, we review our own laser cleaning research from the perspectives of development and critical evaluation of the experimental and analysis methods, contrasting laser cleaning results achieved with different UV pulsed laser systems, and accurately measuring laser cleaning threshold fluence.

Pulsed laser cleaning: comparing science with art and cultural heritage applications

“…The Macquarie University group results of pulsed laser cleaning of particles and hydrocarbons from glass have been reviewed in the context of the wider field of pulsed laser cleaning in two book chapters within refs. 1 & 2 [21,22]. The more recent review [22] is the more complete.…”