Abstract
Contact-free precise laser processing of black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) dragline silk by laser ablation at λ=157 nm is achieved. At this wavelength, the small optical penetration depth, below 100 nm, allows efficient and gentle material removal above the ablation threshold of Φth=29 mJ/cm2. The ablation rate in nm/pulse is measured against laser fluence Φ and simultaneously calibrated with ultrapure polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Ripple formation in fiber ablation can be overcome by a suitable combination of ablation removal and laser polishing steps using exposure sequences at different irradiation angles α, such as vertical at 0° followed by oblique irradiation at 70°. In this way ripples are destroyed until the fiber is automatically smoothed over the entire laser-exposed length. This allows precise laser ablation processing of spider silk fibers and other highly absorbing materials without affecting the bulk mechanical, and other material, properties.
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61.41.+e; 61.46.+w; 61.80.Ba; 61.82.Pv; 62.25.+g
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Moore, A., Koch, M., Mueller, K. et al. Precise laser ablation processing of black widow spider silk. Appl Phys A 77, 353–357 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-003-2193-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-003-2193-6