Colorado State University Research Foundation

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

University of California

Jmar Technologies, Inc.

Xuv Lasers, Inc.

Carmen Menoni

Jorge J Rocca

Paul B Mirkarimi

Christopher J Stolz

Regina Soufli

Mario C Marconi

Christopher Charles Walton

Justin Wolfe

Dinesh Patel

Scott Harris Bloom

Georgiy Olegovich Vaschenko

Oscar Hemberg

James Allen Folta

Erik H Anderson

Weilun Chao

Przemyslaw W Wachulak

Jim Folta

Christopher C Walton

James A Folta

Justin E Wolfe

A method of making a laser mirror in which a mirror substrate has at least a one micron size nodular defect includes depositing a planarization layer over the mirror substrate and the nodular defect, depositing a layer of silicon dioxide over the planarization layer, and etching away a portion of the layer of silicon dioxide. The method also includes thereafter, depositing a layer of hafnium dioxide over the layer of silicon dioxide and repeating the steps of depositing a layer of silicon dioxide, etching away a portion of the layer of silicon dioxide, and depositing a layer of hafnium dioxide until the nodular defect is reduced in size a predetermined amount.

Planarization of optical substrates

Planarization of defects in laser mirror and other optical component manufacture is disclosed. The planarization is performed by first depositing a relatively thick planarization layer, then carrying out a sequential deposition and etch process. The technique takes advantage of the non-uniform material removal rate as a function of etchant incident angle, and effectively buries the inclusion in a thick film with a near planar top surface. The process enables faster, more reliable manufacture of a non-defective high fluence multilayer mirror particularly suitable for high energy laser applications.

A method and system for reading a security seal having a unique far-field pattern are described. Periodic nano-structure is generated on the surface of a substrate having spacings of hundreds of nanometers, or smaller, and affixed on a product, or generated directly onto the product. A laser beam having a wavelength longer than the periodic spacings directed onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate at a chosen angle of incidence and a selected azimuthal angle relative to a chosen direction produces a unique far-field pattern that may be imaged by a digital image detector disposed at a chosen distance from the illuminated region, compared with a stored reference, and validated. The nanoscale sub-wavelength patterns can be printed using extreme ultraviolet light and read with readily available visible or ultraviolet light. The security seal contains a pattern that is invisible to the eye and to an optical microscope. Brand protection at different stages of the life-span of a product, from production to purchase is therefore available.

Nano-stamp and matched reader for anti-counterfeiting applications

Ablation of holes having diameters as small as 82 nm and having clean walls was obtained in a poly(methyl methacrylate) on a silicon substrate by focusing pulses from a Ne-like Ar, 46.9 nm wavelength, capillary-discharge laser using a freestanding Fresnel zone plate diffracting into third order is described. Spectroscopic analysis of light from the ablation has also been performed. These results demonstrate the use of focused coherent EUV/SXR light for the direct nanoscale patterning of materials.

Nanometer-scale ablation using focused, coherent extreme ultraviolet/soft x-ray light

Direct patterning of nanometer scale features by interferometric lithography using a 46.9 nm laser is described. Multiple exposures using a Lloyd's mirror interferometer permitted printing of arrays having 60 nm FWHM features.

Nanometer-scale lithography using extreme ultraviolet/soft x-ray laser interferometry

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Carmen Menoni