Prelims-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 19: 2 Page ix
FOREWORD
The aim of this book is to present a reference for the research work done during the last two decades in laser processing assisted by neutral liquids (LALP). At present, the total number of scientific-technical papers dealing with LALP exceeds 700, and of patents 500, which justifies the need for a comprehensive reference. The book does not systematically cover the use of lasers in medicine, despite the fact that organs and tissues contain a significant amount of liquid. Nor does it cover laser etching in reactive liquids and laser deposition form solutions. References to these kinds of processing are given in the introduction (Chapter 1). The four main areas of LALP are: (i) laser peening, where water is used as a safe confining medium conforming with the workpiece; (ii) cutting and drilling, where water is also preferably used, in order to cool the workpiece and to prevent the redeposition of debris; (iii) the generation of colloidal particles in water or in organic solvents; (iv) the removal of microparticle contamination from solid surfaces through laser vaporization of a liquid film (water and alcohols) on the surface. Altogether, about 70 different liquids have been used until now,including liquid metals and liquefied gases. The principles of organising the data in the book are as follows: • Essential data of research reports about the main four kinds of processing (i) to (iv) are presented in chrono- logical tables, with an accent on the materials processed or achieved. Concise receipts of the processes are presented. As far as possible, the experimental conditions and results are described quantitatively. • General principles, experimental techniques, main phenomena, and mechanisms of every kind of processing are described by text and graphics. Related topics, such as residual stress measurement and alternative processing methods are dealt with to some extent in order to help the readers from other areas or students. • General topics on the physics and chemistry of laser–liquid–solid interactions are gathered in a special chapter (Chapter 7). • A comprehensive table of 61 properties of 100 liquids has been included. In addition to the liquids used in LALP,several common solvents and cryoliquids are added. • The book contains a glossary with about 330 terms. It is intended to help the less prepared readers, especially students, who do not have previous experience in this special field. The book contains material from literature sources originally acquired for the following research projects: Project 0140215s98 (Estonian Ministry of Education), Projects 4512 and 5864 (Estonian Science Foundation). The original figures were drawn by CorelDraw software licensed to the University of Oulu. I am grateful to many researchers, especially toYuji Sano, Stephan Roth,Walter Huber, Boris Luk’yanchuk, Vladimir P. Zharov,Tianqing Jia, and Dongsik Kim who provided me with original figures; to a number of publishers and authors who kindly permitted the use of their material in this book, and to the team Elsevier Science for their patience and good cooperation. Invaluable help in the manuscript preparation was provided by my son Aavo Kruusing and my daughter Airi Männamaa.
Arvi Kruusing, Oulu, April 2007
ix Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 1
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Contents 1.1 LALP Chronology 4 1.2 Laser Processing and Analysis of Liquid Systems That Are Not Covered in This Book 6 1.3 Inventions in Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing 8
There are occasions where the workpiece at laser processing is in contact with liquids (e.g. in natural bodies of water, nuclear reactors, boreholes, etc.); the workpiece may contain liquid in its normal state (e.g. moisture in building materials, wood, paper) or the liquid may be applied to workpiece in order to enhance the processing or to achieve some other useful effect. Very often the liquid present is water as most abundant and safe (see Fig. 1.1).
(a) (b) (c)
H2O
(d) (e) (f)
Figure 1.1 Examples of liquid presence at laser materials processing: (a) processing in water environment; (b) workpiece/material is immersed into/suspended in liquid; (c) liquid is applied onto surface of workpiece; (d) liquid acts as lightguide; (e) processing in vapour; and (f) material contains capillary or chemically bonded liquid.
Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. ISBN-13: 978-0-08-044498-7 All rights reserved.
1 Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 2
2 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Table 1.1 Main physical principles of LALP (in ascending order pursuant to increasing laser–liquid interaction intensity). See also Fig. 2.24.
Light-matter interaction Desired changes in Method Why used needed the workpiece Liquid as waveguide Concentration of light Light reflection/ Various or lens without solid optical refraction/self- elements focusing in liquid Liquid as photomask; Liquid conforms Light absorption Various backside etching with the surface in liquid of transparent of workpiece materials Photochemical Liquid serves as the Photoactivation Photochemical processes source of chemical of liquid (oxidation, etc.) species Removal of particles Lower risk of Vaporization No changes from surfaces surface damage of liquid only Generation of Cleaner particles – no Vaporization of both Vaporization micro/nanoparticles extra chemicals used; workpiece and rapid and simple of liquid process Subtractive processing Practically no debris Vaporization of both Vaporization (cutting, drilling, redeposition in the workpiece and of liquid removal of oxide work zone; lower layers, etc.) thermal load on the workpiece Shock processing Shock pressures up to Vaporization and Plastic (peening, forming, 10 times larger than ionization of deformation densification) in gas or in vacuum; liquid only simpler and safer than in case of solid confinement media
Besides water, about 70 other liquids are used in laser materials processing, mostly organic solvents. In high-energy processing regarding the peening without exception water is used as the safest and cheapest liquid, in microprocessing (micromachining, particle generation) organic solvents are often the choice. Liquids metals (e.g., Hg, Ga) and molten salts (e.g., NaNO3, KNO3) have also been used. The book also refers to some cases where frozen liquid layers on the surfaces are laser ablated (water ice, solid N2, and CH4 a.o.). Table 1.1 lists the main types of liquids-assisted laser processing (LALP) andTable 1.2 provides a comparison of relevant advantages and disadvantages. Experiments of laser irradiation of liquid–solid interfaces started soon after the invention of lasers in 1960s, but systematic research on LALP began at the end of 1980s (see Figs 1.2–1.4). At the beginning of 1990s four main directions emerged: (i) laser peening, (ii) liquids-assisted laser micromachining, especially the backside etching of optical components, (iii) removal of microparticles from silicon wafers, and (iv) generation of nanoparticles in liquids. Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 3
Introduction 3
Table 1.2 Overall advantages and disadvantages of LALP (in comparison with laser processing in vacuum/gas and with alternative kinds of processing; only liquids neutral under normal conditions are considered). Advantages Disadvantages • Non-contact (low mechanical load on workpiece) • Expensive equipment (laser) • Flexible and rapid process control • Need for auxiliary liquid-handling system • Many process control parameters available in • Burn and eye damage hazard by laser light, extreme range: laser wavelength, pulse length, especially at IR-wavelength fluence, energy density,liquids properties, • Power loss due to cooling by liquid liquid’s temperature, flow rate, etc. • Explosion, toxicity,and electronic apparatus • Can be applied on inclined and curved surfaces damage hazard due to liquid vapours (light and liquid conform with sloped and • Explosion hazard due to thermal or uneven surfaces) photolytical liquid dissociation products • Can be applied inside of tubes, etc. (e.g. O2 + H2) • Can be applied under water (e.g. in nuclear • Reflection loss at water surface reactors, sea) without the need for local • Light scattering by mist, liquid surface dry zone unevenness, thermal gradients, suspended • High-energetic efficiency if short light particles and bubbles pulses are used • Splashes at liquid surface may contaminate • Low thermal load on workpiece: narrow the optical components HAZ, little damage of biomaterials • Light absorption and scattering in liquids is • Reduced risk of atmosphere contamination greater than in gases by gases and particles • Corrosion/oxidation (in case of oxygen- or • Liquid may serve as a lightguide halogen-containing liquids) • Liquid may serve as a source of starting • Contamination of workpiece with carbon, materials (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen), but also nitrogen, etc. from liquids of highly reactive species (OH, H2O2,F2,Cl2) • Hydrogen incorporation into workpiece • At elevated temperatures and pressures the from hydrogen-containing liquids (causes solubility of solids in liquids may increase brittleness) considerably (dissolution of debris, • Polymerization of organic liquids hydrothermal growth, etc.) • Laser-induced thermal and mechanical • Bubble dynamics and migration generates shocks are more intense than in gas or vacuum strong hydrodynamic forces that carry the (more dislocations, deformations, or cracking debris away of materials) • Shorter thermal relaxation time than in gas • Collapse of bubbles may cause surface damage or in vacuum • Process monitoring, modelling, and simulation • Laser wavelength is shorter than in vacuum and gases are more complicated than in gas or vacuum • Self-focusing in liquids may be used for • Lower optical breakdown threshold than in concentration of light. gas (water–air)
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Number of publications 10 0
197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006
Figure 1.2 Development of the number of scientific-technical publications (excl. patents) about LALP. The total number of research reports and reviews referred in this book is about 700. Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 4
4 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40
Number of publications 20 0
Shock aning Other Cle Particles Subtractive
Figure 1.3 Relative research activity in the four main areas of LALP.
35
30
25 subtractive shock 20 cleaning 15 particles 10 other
Number of publications 5
0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Figure 1.4 Development of research activities in the main areas of LALP.
1.1 LALP Chronology
1963 G.A. Askar’yan and E.M. Moroz (P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Moscow,Russia) propose mechanical momentum generation by laser vaporization on solid targets 1963 R.M. White (General Electric Company,Palo Alto, USA) reports about pressure pulse generated at ruby laser irradiation of aluminium target 1968 Studies of laser peening at Batelle Columbus Laboratories start (Columbus, USA) 1970 Confined ablation-mode laser shock processing reported (N.C. Anderholm – Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, USA) 1971 Generation of vacancies in laser-shocked materials reported (S.A. Metz and F.A. Smidt Jr. – Naval Research laboratory,Washington,USA) 1973 Permanent local deformation of laser-shocked metal targets reported (J.D.O’Keefe, C.H. Skeen, and C.M.York – TRW Systems Group and University of California, USA) 1974 Laser shock treatment in water confinement reported (J.A. Fox – US Army Mobility Equipment Research and Development Center, Fort Belvoir, USA) 1974 First laser peening patent issued (P.I. Mallozi and B.P. Fairand – US3850698) Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 5
Introduction 5
1975 Laser ablation of various metals in various liquids reported (V.A.Ageev –V.I. Lenin Tadzhik State University,Dushanbe, USSR) 1975 Surface damage of the backside of a glass plate in contact with water due to laser irradiation reported (R.K. Leonov,V.V. Efimov, S.I. Zakharov, N.F.Taurin, and P.A.Yampol’skii – All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Optophysical Measurements, Moscow,USSR) 1981 Initiation of corrosion pits by laser ablation in electrolyte solution reported (R.K. Ulrich and R.C. Alkire – University of Illinois, Urbana, USA) 1983 Liquid jet–guided laser-enhanced electroplating reported (R.J. von Gutfeld, M.H. Gelchinski, L.T. Romankiw, and D.R.Vigliotti – IBM T. J. Watson Research Center,Yorktown Heights, USA) 1986 Laser cutting of 3-mm thick steel sheet under water reported (R. Schünemann – Universität Hannover, Germany) 1987 Metal ions desorption from silicon surface in water under laser irradiation was reported (E.Yu.Assendel’ft,V.I. Beklemyshev, I.I. Makhonin,Yu. N. Petrov,A.M. Prokhorov, and V.I. Pustovoi – Institute of General Physics, Moscow,Russia) 1988 Start of laser shock processing research in France at Laboratoire pour l’Application des Lasers de Puissance (LALP) 1988 Photo-resist particles removal from solid surfaces due to acoustic wave generated by absorption of the laser light on the free surface of water was reported (E.Yu.Assendel’ft,V.I. Beklemyshev, I.I. Makhonin, Yu. N. Petrov,A.M. Prokhorov, andV.I. Pustovoi – Institute of General Physics, Moscow,Russia)
1989 Backside drilling of holes and channels in fused silica in contact with water solution of NiSO4 (J. Ikeno,A. Kobayashi, and T. Kasai – Japan)
1990 Steam Laser Cleaning – removal of Al2O3 particles from Si wafer, covered with water film reported (K. Imen, S.J. Lee, and S.D. Allen – Center for Laser Science & Engineering, Iowa City,USA) 1991 Densification of porous materials by laser shock reported (D. Zagouri, J.- P. Romain, B. Dubrujeaud, and M. Jeandin – France) 1992 Formation of diamond particles at laser irradiation of graphite in benzene reported (S.B. Ogale, A.P. Malshe, S.M. Kanetkar, and S.T. Kshirsagar – Poona University,Pune, India) 1993 Water jet–guided laser technology was invented by B. Richerzhagen – Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Lausanne (ETHL), Switzerland 1993 Generation of colloidal Au and Ni nanoparticles by laser ablation of metal targets in liquids reported (A. Fojtik and A. Henglein – Hahn-Meitner-Insitut, Berlin, Germany) 1995 Conversion of tensile surface residual stresses into compressive by laser peening in water without protective coating using multiple impacts demonstrated (N. Mukai, N. Aoki, M. Obata,A. Ito,Y. Sano, and C. Konagai – Toshiba Corporation,Yokohama, Japan) 1996 Improvement of laser cutting quality of marble by saturating it by water reported (K. Sugimoto,T. Aihara, H. Kamata, and S. Kanaoka – Taisei Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Japan) 1996 Cathodic potential controlled laser ablation of oxide layers in electrolytes reported (R. Oltra, O.Yava¸s, and O. Kerrec – Université de Bourgogne, France) 1996 Reduction of colloidal Ag particles size by laser irradiation reported (A. Takami, H.Yamada,K. Nakano, and S. Koda – University of Tokyo, Japan)
1998 Observation of PbZrTiO3 nanoplatelets growth at laser-irradiated solid–liquid interface (A. Kruusing – TallinnTechnical University,Estonia) 1998 Laser MicroJet® technology was commercialized by Synova S.A. in Lausanne, Switzerland 1998 Conversion of fluorocarbon resin surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by laser irradiation under water and aqueous solutions reported (K. Hatao, K. Toyoda, and M. Murahara – Japan) Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 6
6 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
1999 Precise backside laser etching of fused silica in contact with pyrene solution in acetone reported (J. Wang. H. Niino, and A.Yabe – National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research,Tsukuba, Japan) 1999 Laser peening was applied to combat against stress corrosion cracking in Japanese nuclear power reactors 2000 Microscale laser shock processing reported (W. Zhang andY.L.Yao – Columbia University,NewYork,USA) 2000 Control of laser-ablation generated colloid size by surfactants reported (F. Mafuné, J. Kohno,Y.Takeda, T. Kondow, and H. Sawabe – Japan) 2000 Generation of conducting polymer particles by laser ablation in water reported (Y.Tamaki,T. Asahi, H. Masuhara, Osaka University – Japan) 2001 Photo-induced transformation of spherical Ag nanoparticles into nanoprisms reported (R. Jin,Y. Cao, C.A. Mirkin, K.L. Kelly, G.C. Schatz, and J.G. Zheng – Northwestern University,Evanston, USA) 2001 MAPLE and MDW/LIFT techniques reported (P.K.Wu, B.R. Ringeisen, J. Callahan, M. Brooks, D.M. Bubb, H.D.Wu,A. Piqué, B. Spargo, R.A. McGill, and D.B. Chrisey – Naval Research Laboratory,USA) 2002 Formation of polyynes by laser irradiation of graphite particles in liquids reported (M. Tsuji,T.Tsuji, S. Kuboyama, S.-H.Yoon,Y. Korai,T.Tsujimoto, K. Kubo,A. Mori, and I. Mochida – Kyushu University, Kasuga, Japan) 2004 Removal of particles from surfaces by laser-induced cavitation bubbles reported (W.D. Song, M.H. Hong, B. Lukyanchuk, and T.C. Chong – Data Storage Institute, Singapore) 2004 Laser backside etching of fused silica using an absorbed layer of toluene reported (K. Zimmer, R. Böhme, and B. Rauschenbach – Leibnitz-Institut für Oberflächenmodifizierung e.V.,Leipzig, Germany) 2004 Liquids-assisted laser shock cleaning for nanoscale particles removal reported (Deoksuk Jang and Dongsik Kim – POSTECH, Pohang, Korea) 2006 Observation of ZnSe nanorod growth at laser-irradiated solid–liquid interface (T. Jia, M. Baba, M. Huang, F. Zhao, J. Qiu, X. Wu, M. Ichihara, M. Suzuki, R. Li, Z. Xu, and H. Kuroda – Japan and China) 2006 Laser backside etching of fused silica in contact with gallium and mercury reported (K. Zimmer, R. Böhme, D. Ruthe, and B. Rauschenbach – Leibnitz-Institut für Oberflächenmodifizierung e.V.,Leipzig, Germany) 2006 Removal of oil film from metal surfaces by water decomposition products generated by laser cavitation reported (H. Hidai and H. Tokura – Tokyo Institute of Technology,Japan)
2006 Laser-assisted transformation of Hg into Au under laser exposure of Hg suspensions in D2O reported (G.A. Shafeev, F. Bozon-Verduraz, and M. Robert – A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia; Université Paris 7, France)
1.2 Laser Processing and Analysis of Liquid Systems That Are Not Covered in This Book
Following publications are recommended for reference of LALP technologies and analytical techniques not covered in this book.
Stereolithography Ready JF, Farson DF, Feeley T,et al., eds. LIA Handbook of laser materials processing. Berlin: Springer-Verlag and Heidelberg GmbH & Co.; July 2001:545–554. Upcraft S, Fletcher R. The rapid prototyping technologies. Assemb Autom 2003; 23(4):318–330. Bertsch A, Jiguet S, Bernhard P,Renaud P. Microstereolithography: A review. Mater Res Soc Symp Proc 2003; 758:3–15. Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 7
Introduction 7
Liquid-phase photochemistry Donohue T. Applied laser photochemistry in the liquid phase. Opt Eng (Laser Appl Phys Chem) 1989; 20: 89–172. Eisenthal KB. Ultrafast chemical reactions in the liquid state. Topics Appl Phy (Ultrashort Laser Pulses) 1993; 60:319–356, 461–469.
Laser wet etching in reactive liquids Ogale SB. Laser-induced synthesis, deposition and etching of materials. Bull Mater Sci 1988; 11(2–3):137–157 Bäuerle D. Laser processing and chemistry, 3rd edn. Berlin: Springer; 2001:325–333.
Laser reactive quenching at liquid–solid interface Kanetkar SM, Ogale SB. Pulsed laser reactive quenching at liquid–solid interface. Bull Mater Sci 1988; 11(2–3):167–190.
Laser-assisted liquid-phase deposition and electroplating Ogale SB. Laser-induced synthesis, deposition and etching of materials. Bull Mater Sci 1988; 11(2–3):137–157. Bäuerle D. Laser processing and chemistry, 3rd edn. Berlin: Springer; 2001:449–458.
Laser machining and treatment of biological materials and objects Niemz MH. Laser-tissue interactions: Fundamentals and applications, 2nd edn. Berlin: Springer; 2002. Vogel A, Venugopalan V. Mechanisms of pulsed laser ablation of biological tissues. Chem Rev 2003; 103(2):577–644. Vogel A, Noack J, Hüttman G, Paltauf G. Mechanisms of femtosecond laser nanosurgery of cells and tissues. Appl Phy B: Laser Opt 2005; 81(8):1015–1047.
Laser desorption from solid surfaces . . Lazneva, Lazerna fotodecopbci (od ped. . . Konopova) L.: Izd-vo LU, 1990, 199 c. (E. F. Lazneva, Laser photodesorption. Lenigrad, Leningrad State University Press, 1990).
Matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI) Stump MJ,Fleming RC,GongW-H,JaberAJ,Jones JJ,Surber CW,Wilkins CL. Matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry. Appl Spectros Rev 2002; 37(3):275–303. Creaser CS, Ratcliffe L. Atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry: A review. Curr Anal Chem 2006; 2(1):9–15. MALDI Recipes. www.nist.gov/maldi; http://polymers.msel.nist.gov/maldirecipes/index.cfm
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in liquids and at solid–liquid interfaces Rusak DA,Castle BC,Smith BW,Winefordner JD. Fundamentals and applications of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Crit Rev Anal Chem 1997; 27(4):257–290. Song K, Lee YI, Sneddon J. Applications of laser-induced breakdown spectrometry. Appl Spectros Rev 1997; 32(3):183–235. Schechter I. Laser induced plasma spectroscopy. A review of recent advances. Rev Anal Chem 1997; 16(3):173–298. Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 8
8 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Cremers DA, Radziemski LJ. Handbook of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Chichester: John Wiley; 2006. Miziolek AW, Palleschi V, Schechter I, eds. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS): Fundamentals and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2006.
1.3 Inventions in Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Main classes of International Patent Classification (IPC, version 2007.01) regarding the main arts of LALP:
Subtractive processing B23K B23K 26/00 working by laser beam (e.g. welding, cutting, boring) B23K 26/12 in a special atmosphere (e.g. in an enclosure) B23K 26/14 using a flow (e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam) B23K 26/16 removing of by-products (e.g. particles or vapours produced during treatment of a workpiece) B23K 26/36 removing material B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
Shock processing B22F Working metallic powder; manufacture of articles from metallic powder; making metallic powder B22F 3/087 using high-energy impulses (e.g. magnetic field impulses)
B23K B23K 26/00 working by laser beam (e.g. welding, cutting, boring)
C21 Metallurgy of iron C21D 1/09 by direct application of electrical or wave energy; by particle radiation C21D 7/00 modifying the physical properties of iron or steel by deformation C21D 10/00 modifying the physical properties by methods other than heat treatment or deformation
C22 Metallurgy; ferrous or non-ferrous alloys; treatment of alloys or non-ferrous metals C22F 3/00 changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by special physical methods (e.g. treatment with neutrons) Ch01-I044498.tex 12/9/2007 18: 23 Page 9
Introduction 9
F01 Machines or engines in general F01D 5/14 form or construction
Cleaning B08 Cleaning B08B 3/00 cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam B08B 7/00 cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass B08B 3/10 with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned (e.g. by heat, by electricity,by vibration)
Generation and modification of particles B22F Working metallic powder; manufacture of articles from metallic powder; making metallic powder B22F 9/00 making metallic powder or suspensions thereof B22F 9/02 using physical processes
B82 Nanotechnology B82B 3/00 manufacture or treatment of nanostructures The number of patents in LALP is around 500, about 50 per cent regarding subtractive processing, and 20 per cent regarding laser peening. Selected inventions are described under corresponding sections of this book. Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 11
CHAPTER TWO
Cleaning
Contents 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Principles of Liquids-Assisted Laser Cleaning 12 2.3 Particles on Solid Surfaces 17 2.4 Experimental Techniques in Laser Wet/Steam Cleaning Research 30 2.5 Physics and Phenomenology of Liquids-Assisted Laser Removal of Particles from Surfaces 37
2.1 Introduction
Liquids may facilitate the removal of particles or surface layers from solids in several ways: by reduction of adhesion forces, by providing expanding vapours, or by acting as a medium for acoustic or shock waves. At the presence of liquid, the threshold laser energies/fluences for cleaning and thus the surface damage hazard is lower, as a rule. The most important application of liquids-assisted (wet) laser cleaning has been the removal of particulate contamination from solid surfaces, especially from silicon wafers for semiconductor integrated circuits (IC). Particles on wafer mask light in photolithographic process and cause declinations from the desired geometry,in worst case shortcuts and breaks [1, 2]. According to different sources, the minimum permissible contaminating particle size is 1/10 to 1/4 of the minimum feature size of IC [3, 4].Today,there is a need to remove particles of diameters down to tens of nanometres. The particles may origin from the ambient atmosphere (SiO2,Al2O3), from previous processing steps (photoresist residuals, Cu,TEOS, Al-F), from equipment (wear particles), and from humans (textile wear). Regarding other areas, liquid-assisted laser techniques have proved to be effective for removal of small particles from rotating magnetic information storage disc surfaces [5] and from telescope mirrors [6]. Particles on surface are not always contaminants. Konov et al. [7] describe a process where dia- mond nanoparticles on surface were used as nuclei for diamond film growth. By selective laser removal of these seed particles in a water–alcohol solution, patterned diamond films were achieved in the subsequent diamond growth. Liquids may be beneficial also at laser removal of surface layers from solids, by lowering the thermal load on the materials and preventing the dissipation of debris into the ambient atmosphere. Local removal of oxide layers is needed, for example: • in microelectronics for fabricating openings in passivating the insulating layers for electrical contacts [8]; • in mechanical engineering to enable welding or gluing [9]; • in corrosion research for initiation of corrosion pits.
Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. ISBN-13: 978-0-08-044498-7 All rights reserved.
11 Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 12
12 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Table 2.1 Liquids used at laser cleaning. Liquids Additives Water, ethanol, methanol, IPA, acetone NaCl, methanol, ethanol, IPA
Laser techniques have been considered appropriate also for removal of radioactive contaminants (water- containing or under water) in nuclear facilities, and for cleaning of optical surfaces in space systems from frozen water and gases. Table 2.1 lists the liquids and their additives used in wet laser cleaning. Alcohols and alcohol additives to water were used for better wetting (for achieving of continuous liquid film on surface). NaCl additive to water was found to enhance the ‘long-term memory effect’ of acoustic cavitation [10] (see Section 7.2.4). Advantages of liquids-assisted laser cleaning of surfaces (in comparison with dry laser cleaning (DLC) and other cleaning methods): • Liquid may considerably lower the adhesion forces (van der Waals and double-layer forces). In liquid the capillary force is absent. • The cleaning threshold (minimum laser fluence) is lower in liquids. • Smaller particles can be removed. • Particles may be removed individually. • Lower hazard to damage the surface to be cleaned: the focusing of light at transparent particles can be avoided by using absorbing in the liquid light or by choosing a liquid with index of refraction equal to that of the particles [11]. • Consumption of ultra-pure liquids is drastically reduced (in comparison with conventional wet cleaning). • Electrical (electrochemical) layer removal control is possible. Disadvantages and hazards of liquids-assisted laser cleaning: • Laser sources are expensive. • Liquid droplets on surface may act as lenses and concentrate the light. • Generated vapours may be harmful to optical and electronical systems.
2.2 Principles of Liquids-Assisted Laser Cleaning
2.2.1 Particles removal by frontside laser irradiation (steam laser cleaning) Steam laser cleaning (SLC) is the most important kind of laser removal of particulates from surfaces. Here, a thin liquid film, of thickness up to some micrometres, is condensed from vapour onto the contaminated surface. At laser irradiation, the liquid vaporizes and the pressure and movement of the expanding vapours propels the particles off the surface (Fig. 2.1). Also the displacement of surface due to thermal expansion and acoustic transients may contribute to the removal of particles (see Section 2.5.3). The film may be discontinuous, but it is important that there is liquid in contact with the particles. The liquid may origin also from the humidity in the ambient atmosphere – if the substrate and particle surfaces are hydrophilic, a capillary condensation of the humidity occurs.
2.2.2 Particles removal by backside laser irradiation Particles on transparent to laser light substrates may be effectively removed by heating the liquid through the substrate by absorbing in the liquid light. In case of water, the Er:YAG lasers emitting at water absorption maxima near 2.94 µm is often the choice. In comparison with SLC, the thermal load on particles is greatly reduced; for example, living cells have been safely removed from glass slides (Fig. 2.2). Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 13
Cleaning 13
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 2.1 Situations in Steam Laser Cleaning; (a) transparent liquid – transparent substrate – opaque particle; (b) transparent liquid – opaque substrate – transparent particle; (c) transparent liquid – opaque sub- strate – opaque particle; (d) opaque liquid (after the articles by Tam et al. [3], Oltra and Boquillon [12], andVeiko and Shakhno [13]).
Cover slide Micro-objective H2O Sample cavity Lens CCD Particles or cells Absorbing layer X, Y, Z stage Er:YAG Fast thermal µ µ Laser 2.94 m, 400 s expansion 2 beam 0,1–100 J/cm
Figure 2.2 Principle of removal of particles and living cells by backside laser irradiation [14]. © SPIE (2002), reproduced with permission from Ref. [14].
2.2.3 Removal of particles by laser-generated acoustic waves in liquid In the pioneering work about laser particles removal from an immersed into liquid substrate, Assendel’ft et al. [15, 16] used a 100 ns, 0.3 J pulsed CO2-laser beam focused onto free surface of water. Photo-resist particles of size 1–0.1 µm were effectively removed from Si substrates by laser-induced acoustic transients. Acoustic pressure at particles in the cleaning regime was estimated to be in range from 0.02 to 38 MPa.
2.2.4 Liquid-assisted laser shock cleaning Liquid-assisted laser shock cleaning (LLSC) is a combination of SLC with laser shock cleaning (LSC), where a shock wave is generated by laser breakdown in the gas above the specimen. In LLSC, the surface to be cleaned is first covered by a liquid film and then subjected to laser heating and shock wave simultaneously (Fig. 2.3). The technique has been proved to be effective to remove nanoparticles as small as 20 nm with over 90% efficiency from silicon wafers, thus being superior to any other cleaning method [17].
2.2.5 Removal of particles by bubble collapse induced flow
Song et al. describe an experiment [18] where SiO2 and polystyrene particles were removed from Si wafers by laser-generated bubbles collapse induced flow (Fig. 2.4). The bubbles collapse flow near solid surfaces in the cleaning regime was later studied by Ohl et al. [19] using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The tangential to surface flow velocities were highest during the time interval of jet impact (see Section 7.2.4) and exceeded 10 m/s (at bubble max size 2 mm); the high tangential velocities were deemed to be the main reason for particles detachment. Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 14
14 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Timinig Compressed gas control unit
Flow controller Translation stage
Laser for optical Sample brakedown
Liquid reservoir
Lens Heater
Temperature Thermometer Laser for liquid- control unit film evaporation Mirror
Figure 2.3 Scheme of liquid-assisted laser shock cleaning. The substrate to be cleaned is covered with a thin liquid film (condensed vapour). An Nd:YAG laser pulse then induces breakdown of air and a spherical shock wave propagates from the centre of the plasma. An excimer laser pulse is fired at the moment when the shock wave touches the centre of the cleaning zone with the sample moving periodically on a translation stage under multiple number of laser pulse irradiation. Courtesy by D. Kim, POSTECH, Pohang, Korea, © Dongsik Kim, reproduced with permission.
Optical Laser system
Stage
Bubbles Substrate Liquid
Figure 2.4 Schematics of particles removal by bubble collapse induced flow. © American Institute of Physics, reprinted with permission (2004) from Ref. [18].
2.2.6 Removal of surface layers by laser ablation/spallation in liquid In situ local removal of passive oxide layers from metal surfaces by a focused laser beam was found to be useful in corrosion studies (initiation of corrosion pits). In comparison with mechanical methods like scraping, straining, abrading, shearing, guillotining, and fracturing, laser ablation method provides several advantages: (i) there is no contamination form film removing tools, (ii) uniform and reproducible depassivation is achieved in a few microseconds, (iii) depassivated area is well defined and can be controlled easily by changing the size of the laser beam on the working electrode surface [20, 21]. Interestingly, removal of iron oxide layers by this scheme was found to be enhanced when the specimen was held in an electrolyte solution under proper cathodic potential (e.g. 1.45V/SCE for 40 min) (Fig. 2.5) Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 15
Cleaning 15
Laser pulse Electrolyte
Potentiostat Oscilloscope
Transducer
Figure 2.5 Experimental configuration for the laser-induced oxide film removal in a liquid confinement at con- trolled electrochemical potential [22]. The workpiece is immersed into the liquid and laser irradiation causes melting, vaporization, or spallation of the oxide layer. Here, the laser light is fed to the sample through an optical fibre and the ablated area corresponds to the core diameter of the fibre. © Elsevier.
0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 4 Before polarization O 3 0.4 Fe k 0.3 0.2 After 40 min of polarization 0.1 0.0 500 600 700 800 1000 Wavelength (nm)
Figure 2.6 Computed spectra of the imaginary part of the refractive index k ofaFe3O4 layer before and after cathodic polarization. © SPIE (2000), reproduced with permission from Ref. [25].
[23, 24]. Further studies revealed that at cathodic polarization the transparency of the oxide layer was increased considerably (Fig. 2.6), so that the laser light could penetrate deeper and cause the oxide layer spallation due to thermal stresses. In addition, mechanical effects resulting from H2 incorporation (enbrittling of the material and increase of stresses due to volume increase) might have been contributed to the oxide layer removal as well. In the article by Cortona et al. [26], the removal of porous oxide layer, containing 18 per cent of water, from AlMgSi1 alloy surface by laser ablation is reported. Some investigations directed to laser removal of radioactively contaminated layers from concrete are described in the articles by Savina et al. [27–29] (see Table 4.11, Savina (1998) [27], Savina (2000) [28], and Robinson (2001) [29].
2.2.7 Removal of frozen gas and liquid layers from optical surfaces
Orbiting earth spacecrafts optics suffers form contamination by dust, H2O, CO 2,O2, and various organic molecules, originating from micrometeorite impacts, from high-energy particles (electrons, oxygen a.o.) irradiation of construction materials (outgassing and offgassing), and from manoeuvring motors. Organic contaminants tend to polymerize under sunlight UV radiation.The condensates form islands at surface defects and degrade the performance of optical components [30]. Different techniques have been proposed for removal of contamination from optical surfaces of orbiting spacecrafts, like electron and ion bombardment. Laser irradiation was found to be a favourable alternative here. Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 16
16 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
Laser pulse
Micro phone
Shock HCI Wave front solution Sample
Figure 2.7 Experimental setup for the removal of oxide scale on low carbon steel enhanced by shock wave generated by laser breakdown on the surface of a aqueous HCl solution [33]. Microphone was used for shock intensity estimation by audible sound level. ‘Fig. 1 of Laser-assisted chemical cleaning for oxide scale removal from carbon steel surfaces’ reproduced with permission from Journal of Laser Applications, February 2004,Volume 16, Issue 1, pp. 25–30, Laser Institute of America, Orlando, Florida. The Laser Institute of America disclaims any responsibility or liability resulting from the placement and use in the described manner. © Laser Institute of America (2004). www.laserinstitute.org. All rights reserved.
Piper et al. [30],Pierce et al. [31] have investigated laser cleaning of cryogenic mirrors (Ni-coatedAl,Au/Ni- coated Al, Be) by CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers. The mirrors were contaminated by dust and frozen at 100–140 K components of laboratory air, mainly H2O and CO2. It was found that CO2 laser was proper for contaminants removal, because its light was effectively absorbed in the contaminant layer, but 1.06 µm Nd:YAG laser not.
2.2.8 Laser-generated shock wave enhanced scale removal In the articles by Lim et al. [32, 33], an oxide scale on low carbon steel was removed by laser-generated mechanical impact in liquid; but only in case when the workpiece was held at least 10 s in at least 10% HCl solution before laser irradiation. Without laser, the minimum HCl concentration needed for scale removal was 18 per cent (Fig. 2.7).
2.2.9 Removal of organic contaminants by water decomposition products In the article by Hidai et al. [34], a tapping oil contamination was removed from various metal surfaces (Ni, Cu, Zn, SUS304), thereby from the inside of holes, by water decomposition products, generated by a 150 mJ ArF laser beam focused onto water surface. Except Zn, no damage of the metal was observed (Fig. 2.8).
2.2.10 Cleaning of surfaces through contaminants dissolution in laser-generated supercritical solution
Dolgaev et al. [35] report about non-diamond carbon layer removal from suspended in HNO3 aqueous solution diamond particles (4 nm) in result of irradiation of the suspension by YSGG:Cr3+:Yb3+:Ho3+ laser beam (2.92 µm, ≈130 ns, 1 kHz, 10 J/cm2). Contamination removal was ascribed to the solvation of non-diamond carbon in supercritical solution.
2.2.11 Dehydroxylation of a silica glass surface Halfpenny [36] and Fernandes [37] report about dehydroxylation of silica glass surface by laser irradia- tion (Fig. 2.9). Irradiation of the surface by UV light (255.3 nm = 4.86 eV) led to breaking of OH bonds (ED = 4.436 eV) and removal of the hydroxyl groups. The process was proposed for controlling the particles adherence to silica surfaces. Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 17
Cleaning 17
Laser beam
Lens F 180
Sample
Water surface
L
Figure 2.8 Experimental setup used for cleaning of metal samples from tapping oil by laser-generated water decomposition products [34]. Oil layers were totally removed by 18 000–36 000 laser pulses of energy 150 mJ at 193 nm wavelength. © Elsevier.
UV photon HH HH O O H H HHHetc. OOOO O O O Si Si Si Si Si Si Si Si Si OOO Heat O O O Bulk silica Bulk silica
Figure 2.9 Modification of the chemical structure of a silica surface by laser irradiation: an hydrophilic to hydrophobic transition occurs [36]. Reproduced with kind permission of Springer Science and Business Media.
2.2.12 Ice-assisted laser particles removal In patent US2004140298 [38], a water ice layer deposition onto surface to be cleaned before laser irradiation was proposed.
2.3 Particles on Solid Surfaces
2.3.1 Adhesion phenomena and adhesion forces In order to remove a particle from a surface, the adhesion forces need to be overcome. In laser removal of micrometre and nanometre-sized particles from solid surfaces, the adhesion forces to be considered are: van der Waals force, double-layer force, capillary force, and chemical bond force (Fig. 2.10). On ferromagnetic substrates, also magnetic forces may be significant. In comparison with macroscopic systems, the gravitational force is unimportant.The adhesion is greatly affected by the surface roughness and the environment (Fig. 2.11). Much of experimental and theoretical research is done by spherical particles; highly spherical latex, glass, silica, and alumina particles of various sizes are commercially available,also of calibrated size. In real cleaning situations, however, the particles are mostly of irregular shape.
Cohesion energy approach Interaction energy of electrically neutral bodies in vacuum can be expressed by Dupré equation:
γ = γ1 + γ2 − γ12, (2.1) Ch02-I044498.tex 11/9/2007 18: 47 Page 18
18 Handbook of Liquids-Assisted Laser Processing
10 5