University of Michigan

Fujitsu Corporation

John A Nees

Greg Spooner

Ajit P Joglekar

Edgar Meyhofer

Alan Hunt

Gerard A Mourou

Peter P Pronko

Shin-ichi Wakana

Zhiyu Zhang

Paul A Vanrompay

Gerald Mourou

Geard A Mourou

Here is presented a versatile technique for machining of nanometer-scale features using tightly-focused ultrashort laser pulses. By the invention, the size of features can be reduced far below the wavelength of light, thus enabling nanomachining of a wide range of materials. The features may be extremely small (&#x3c;20 nm) and are highly reproducible.

Method for forming nanoscale features

The invention provides new methods for separating isotopes of an element and causing enrichment of a desired isotope of an element utilizing laser ablation plasmas to modify or fabricate a material containing such isotopes. This invention may be used for a wide variety of materials which contain elements having different isotopes.

Method for laser induced isotope enrichment

The invention provides a method and apparatus for generating high pulse energy, short optical pulses having relatively high contrast. The system comprises a diode laser to seed a compact diode pumped amplifier, and comprises pulse shaping and cleaning elements to achieve relatively high energies and high contrast. The system is not locked to a fixed repetition rate as it is controlled by an electronic trigger. The system of the invention comprises a selectively triggered pulse source (asynchronous) which is coupled to pulse amplifying/pulse shaping means, which is coupled to pulse cleaning means, which is further coupled to a chirped pulse amplification (CPA) system. The method of the invention comprises the general steps of: (1) selectively triggering a pulse source; (2) amplifying the pulse and shaping it; (3) increasing contrast of the pulse utilizing a preferred, passive, nonlinear pulse cleaner; and (4) increasing the energy of the pulse and decreasing its pulse width by chirped pulse amplification (CPA) means. In the method of the invention, steps (2) and (3) may be repeated in order to achieve a desired energy intensity and contrast.

Selectively triggered, high contrast laser

An ultrafast scanning probe with 2.5-picosecond response time and 10-nanometer spatial resolution. In one embodiment, a single probe tip is formed on an input electrode layer which is at least partially formed on a cantilever portion of the probe. The cantilever portion is formed by at least one layer including a film of AlGaAs which has a reflective top surface to reflect a laser beam therefrom. A photoresponsive planar switch is formed by a portion of the input electrode layer, a semiconductor portion of the at least one layer and a portion of an output electrode layer. In another embodiment, the switch is a non-planar photoresponsive switch. The single probe tip of the probe is utilized to both acquire an image of an electronic device and measure electrical signals of the device. An optical fiber may be used for support and to supply a pulsed switching beam to the photoresponsive switch.

Ultrafast electrical scanning force microscope probe

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

John A Nees