High-throughput femtosecond fiber laser microstructuring system

Based on our success in developing the world first commercial 100 micro Joule fs fiber laser system and our leading technology development in ultrashort pulsed fiber laser, PolarOnyx and University of California at Davis proposes, for the first time, a fs-high power (100 W), high energy (>100 uJ) and high repetition rate (MHz) fiber laser microstructuring system to meet with the requirement of the solicitation AF08-T029. It is incorporating our proprietary technology of pulse shaping, beam shaping, spectral shaping and polarization shaping. These will make the fiber laser microstructuring system superior in terms of throughput, size, and cost. During Phase I, experiment on fs high energy fiber laser and microstructuring various materials have been carried out. In Phase II, a prototype microstructuring system will be built up to optimize the microstructuring process for various materials. BENEFIT: The proposed high energy fs-100W fiber laser micromachining system can be used in many military applications, such as micromachining, space, aircraft, and satellite applications of LADAR systems and communications, laser weapons, and target designation and illumination. PolarOnyx will develop a series of products to meet various requirements for military deployments. With successful development of the laser, the technology proposed by PolarOnyx will provide a vital tool to solve the existing and potential issues and merge with the huge markets including • Material processing. This includes (1) all types of metal processing such as welding, cutting, annealing, and drilling; (2)semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing such as lithography, inspection, control, defect analysis and repair, and via drilling; (3) marking of all materials including plastic, metals, and silicon; (4) other materials processing such as rapid prototyping, desk top manufacturing, micromachining, photofinishing, embossed holograms, and grating manufacturing. • Medical equipment and biomedical instrumentation. The high power amplifier/laser can be applied to ophthalmology, refractive surgery, photocoagulation, general surgery, therapeutic, imaging, and cosmetic applications. Biomedical instruments include those involved in cells or proteins, cytometry, and DNA sequencing; laser Raman spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and ablation; and laser based microscopes.