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F2-laser patterning of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film on glass substrate

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Abstract

This paper reports the controlled micromachining of 100 nm thick indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films on glass substrates with a vacuum-ultraviolet 157 nm F2 laser. Partial to complete film removal was observed over a wide fluence window from 0.49 J/cm2 to an optimized single pulse fluence of 4.5 J/cm2 for complete film removal. Optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis show little substrate or collateral damage by the laser pulse which conserved the stoichiometry, optical transparency and electrical conductivity of ITO coating adjacent to the trenches. At higher fluence, a parallel micron sized channel can be etched in the glass substrate. The high photon energy and top-hat beam homogenized optical system of the F2 laser opens new means for direct structuring of electrodes and microchannels in biological microfluidic systems or in optoelectronics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto, 10 King’s College Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada

    M.Y. Xu, J. Li & P.R. Herman

  2. Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Hospital, 7th Floor, Rm. 7-318, 610 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada

    L.D. Lilge

Authors
  1. M.Y. Xu
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  2. J. Li
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  3. L.D. Lilge
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  4. P.R. Herman
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Correspondence to M.Y. Xu.

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PACS

79.20.Ds; 42.62.Cf; 42.55.Lc

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Xu, M., Li, J., Lilge, L. et al. F2-laser patterning of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film on glass substrate. Appl. Phys. A 85, 7–10 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3657-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3657-2

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