Dynamics and Laser Processing of Functional Fluoride Organic Surafaces at VUV Wavelengths

The 157 nm laser ablation efficiency and the resolution limit of micro-patterned structures of fluoride based organic surfaces (polymers, monomers) depend on both the material's properties and the irradiation conditions, such as the laser's fluence and the beam diameter. For 1-10 mJ/cm 2 and beam diameter less than 10 m, accumulation of dissociated products on the irradiated surfaces prevented efficient laser ablation . The surface's etching rate for beam diameter larger than 10 m, was linearly depended on the fluence and it had the capacity of sub-nanometer resolution in the direction of the laser beam (perpendicular to the irradiated surface). In addition, it was found that the etching rate was proportional to the photodissociation rate of the materials (out-gassing rate).