Excimer Laser Ablation of Sodium Trisilicate Glass

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe examine effects resulting from the irradiation of glassy sodium trisilicate (Na2O 3SiO2) with 248 nm excimer laser light at fluences from 1–5 J/cm2. We observe a threshold for the onset of etching of the surface at 3 J/cm2. We present SEM images of the resulting surface topography under etching conditions as well as recent measurements of the particle emission and photon emission from atoms leaving the surface region. A clear correlation is observed between this etching threshold and a) onset of emission of fast excited neutrals, as well as b) the appearance of atomic Na D resonance radiation emitted from particles up to several cm from the surface. We also present identifiction of the emitted positive ions.