Mesoscale Laser Processing using Excimer and Short-Pulse Ti: Sapphire Lasers
Targets to study high-energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion processes have very specific and precise tolerances that are pushing the state-of-the-art in mesoscale microsculpting technology. A significant effort is required in order to advance the capabilities to make these targets with very challenging geometries. Ultrashort pulsed (USP) Ti:Sapphire lasers and excimer lasers are proving to be very effective tools in the fabrication of the very small pieces that make up these targets. A brief description of the dimensional and structural requirements of these pieces will be presented, along with theoretical and experimental results that demonstrate to what extent these lasers are achieving the desired results, which include sub-{mu}m precision and RMS surface values well below 100 nm. This work indicates that excimer lasers are best at sculpting the polymer pieces and that the USP lasers work quite well on metal and aerogel surfaces, especially for those geometries that cannot be produced using diamond machining and where material removal amounts are too great to do with focused ion beam milling in a cost effective manner. In addition, the USP laser may be used as part of the procedure to fill target capsules with fusion fuel, a mixture of deuterium and tritium, without causing large perturbations on the surface of the target by keeping holes drilled through 125 {micro}m of beryllium below 5 {micro}m in diameter.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15005175
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-154591; TRN: US0401580
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICALEO 2003, Jacksonville, FL (US), 10/13/2003--10/16/2003; Other Information: PBD: 28 Jul 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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