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Massively Parallel Micromachining with Ultrafast Lasers

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA9550-09-C-0049
Agency Tracking Number: F08A-029-0060
Amount: $99,945.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF08-T029
Solicitation Number: 2008.A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2008-08-01
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2009-04-01
Small Business Information
1855 South 57th Court
Boulder, CO 80301
United States
DUNS: 160015093
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Sterling Backus
 VP of Research and Development
 (303) 544-9068
 sbackus@kmlabs.com
Business Contact
 Sterling Backus
Title: VP of Research and Development
Phone: (303) 544-9068
Email: sbackus@kmlabs.com
Research Institution
 Colorado School of Mines
 Sharon L Dehmlow
 
1500 lllinois St.
Golden, CO 80401
United States

 (303) 273-3411
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Having recently built a 32-beam micromachining workstation, a systematic investigation that rigorously quantifies the multifocal, micromachining approach will be performed. While the manufacturing throughput gains of a multifocal approach are obvious, the method needs to be thoroughly characterized to identify the conditions that produce the features of highest integrity at the highest manufacturing rates. Initial studies will focus on those structures most important for laboratory-on-a-chip prototyping: microfludic channels, optical waveguide production, microlens fabrication. One of the tremendous advantages of using a single platform for a diverse fabrication process (such as creating a lab-on-a-chip), is that the characteristics of the fabricated structures (be they waveguides, channels, lenses, etc.) are dependent on essentially the same parameters: material type, focal geometry (e.g., degree of beam overlap) , focal spot formation, sample translation speed, laser wavelength, pulse energy, pulse duration, pulse stability, pulse pedestal, and repetition rate. Thus, it is important to understand the relationships between these parameters as applied to device fabrication. The experiments are specifically designed to measure this interplay, and compare to predicted, modeled material modifications. The anticipated experimental flow will follow a systematic procedure for each targeted feature. BENEFIT: This effort will provide information to help advance ultrafast machining in a highly paralell manner. It is intended to prove that this process can work for creating "lab on a chip" devices for sensors, and microfluidics for ultrafast chemistry. This could lead to a manufacturing station for making micro to nano size devices 100's to 1000's at a time.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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