Excimer laser-induced material modification to create nanometer high smooth patterns in glass using mask projection

Laser swelling of borosilicate and soda-lime glass is shown for wavelengths of 193 and 248 nm. Very smooth patterns up to 45 nm high were generated by KrF laser (248 nm) irradiation of borosilicate glass at a fluence of 1.5 J/cm2. At 193 nm laser wavelength, lower heights (up to 13 nm) and lower swelling threshold fluences (0.1 J/cm2) were observed due to higher material absorption. For the less absorbing soda-lime glass higher fluences than for the borosilicate glass are needed to establish elevated structures. Gratings in borosilicate glass with sub-micron periodicity demonstrate the high resolution of the method. The results can be explained by a thermo-physical model based on the change of the glass transition temperature due to fast cooling after the pulsed laser irradiation.