Originally Published EMDM September 2005
Technology News
Femtosecond Laser Builds Nanometre-Scale Structures
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| A femtosecond laser was used to engrave a stallion, the insignia of Lower Saxony, on a 0.5 ¥ 0.5-mm puzzle piece. | |
A micromachining process for generating nanometre-sized structures has been developed by researchers at Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH; Hannover, Germany). The process makes use of a femtosecond laser, which works with very short light pulses, to perform highly precise material ablation. The system’s workpiece, whose movements are computer controlled, enables the production of images at resolutions up to 240,000 dpi.
With a product like this, showing off is a must. At the 2005 Hannover Fair in April, LZH, in collaboration with spin-off business Micreon, inscribed a 0.5 ¥ 0.5-mm puzzle piece, described as the world’s smallest, with the insignia of the German state of Lower Saxony. The stallion motif is several times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.
The company anticipates that the technology will take on an important role in generating nanometre-sized structures, such as making lithography masks and a host of other applications.
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