A review of ultrafast laser micro/nano fabrication:Material processing,surface/interface controlling,and devices fabrication

Ultrafast laser processing technology has offered a wide range of opportunities in micro/nano fabrication and other fields such as nanotechnology,biotechnology,energy science,and photonics due to its controllable processing precision,diverse processing capabilities,and broad material adaptability.The processing abilities and applications of the ultrafast laser still need more exploration.In the field of material processing,controlling the atomic scale structure in nanomaterials is challenging.Complex effects exist in ultrafast laser surface/interface processing,making it difficult to modulate the nanostructure and properties of the surface/interface as required.In the ultrafast laser fabrication of micro functional devices,the processing ability needs to be improved.Here,we review the research progress of ultrafast laser micro/nano fabrication in the areas of material processing,surface/interface controlling,and micro functional devices fabrication.Several useful ultrafast laser processing methods and applications in these areas are introduced.With various processing effects and abilities,the ultrafast laser processing technology has demonstrated application values in multiple fields from science to industry.

2D multifunctional devices:from material preparation to device fabrication and neuromorphic applications

Neuromorphic computing systems,which mimic the operation of neurons and synapses in the human brain,are seen as an appealing next-generation computing method due to their strong and efficient computing abilities.Two-dimensional (2D) materials with dangling bond-free surfaces and atomic-level thicknesses have emerged as promising candidates for neuromorphic computing hardware.As a result,2D neuromorphic devices may provide an ideal platform for developing multifunctional neuromorphic applications.Here,we review the recent neuromorphic devices based on 2D material and their multifunctional applications.The synthesis and next micro–nano fabrication methods of 2D materials and their heterostructures are first introduced.The recent advances of neuromorphic 2D devices are discussed in detail using different operating principles.More importantly,we present a review of emerging multifunctional neuromorphic applications,including neuromorphic visual,auditory,tactile,and nociceptive systems based on 2D devices.In the end,we discuss the problems and methods for 2D neuromorphic device developments in the future.This paper will give insights into designing 2D neuromorphic devices and applying them to the future neuromorphic systems.

Fabrication of 4-Inch Nano Patterned Wafer with High Uniformity by Laser Interference Lithography

We report the fabrication of 4-inch nano patterned wafer by two-beam laser interference lithography and analyze the uniformity in detail. The profile of the dots array with a period of 800 nm divided into five regions is characterized by a scanning electron microscope. The average size in each region ranges from 270 nm to 320 nm,and the deviation is almost 4%, which is approaching the applicable value of 3% in the industrial process. We simulate the two-beam laser interference lithography system with MATLAB software and then calculate the distribution of light intensity around the 4 inch area. The experimental data fit very well with the calculated results. Analysis of the experimental data and calculated data indicates that laser beam quality and space filter play important roles in achieving a periodical nanoscale pattern with high uniformity and large area. There is the potential to obtain more practical applications.

Real-time generation of circular patterns in electron beam lithography

Electron beam lithography(EBL)involves the transfer of a pattern onto the surface of a substrate byfirst scanning a thin layer of organicfilm(called resist)on the surface by a tightly focused and precisely controlled electron beam(exposure)and then selectively removing the exposed or nonexposed regions of the resist in a solvent(developing).It is widely used for fabrication of integrated cir-cuits,mask manufacturing,photoelectric device processing,and otherfields.The key to drawing circular patterns by EBL is the graphics production and control.In an EBL system,an embedded processor calculates and generates the trajectory coordinates for movement of the electron beam,and outputs the corresponding voltage signal through a digital-to-analog converter(DAC)to control a deflector that changes the position of the electron beam.Through this procedure,it is possible to guarantee the accuracy and real-time con-trol of electron beam scanning deflection.Existing EBL systems mostly use the method of polygonal approximation to expose circles.A circle is divided into several polygons,and the smaller the segmentation,the higher is the precision of the splicing circle.However,owing to the need to generate and scan each polygon separately,an increase in the number of segments will lead to a decrease in the overall lithography speed.In this paper,based on Bresenham’s circle algorithm and exploiting the capabilities of afield-programmable gate array and DAC,an improved real-time circle-producing algorithm is designed for EBL.The algorithm can directly generate cir-cular graphics coordinates such as those for a single circle,solid circle,solid ring,or concentric ring,and is able to effectively realizes deflection and scanning of the electron beam for circular graphics lithography.Compared with the polygonal approximation method,the improved algorithm exhibits improved precision and speed.At the same time,the point generation strategy is optimized to solve the blank pixel and pseudo-pixel problems that arise with Bresenham’s circle algorithm.A complete electron beam deflection system is established to carry out lithography experiments,the results of which show that the error between the exposure results and the preset pat-terns is at the nanometer level,indicating that the improved algorithm meets the requirements for real-time control and high precision of EBL.

Two-photon polymerization-based 4D printing and its applications

Two-photon polymerization(TPP)is a cutting-edge micro/nanoscale three-dimensional(3D)printing technology based on the principle of two-photon absorption.TPP surpasses the diffraction limit in achieving feature sizes and excels in fabricating intricate 3D micro/nanostructures with exceptional resolution.The concept of 4D entails the fabrication of structures utilizing smart materials capable of undergoing shape,property,or functional changes in response to external stimuli over time.The integration of TPP and 4D printing introduces the possibility of producing responsive structures with micro/nanoscale accuracy,thereby enhancing the capabilities and potential applications of both technologies.This paper comprehensively reviews TPP-based 4D printing technology and its diverse applications.First,the working principles of TPP and its recent advancements are introduced.Second,the optional4D printing materials suitable for fabrication with TPP are discussed.Finally,this review paper highlights several noteworthy applications of TPP-based 4D printing,including domains such as biomedical microrobots,bioinspired microactuators,autonomous mobile microrobots,transformable devices and robots,as well as anti-counterfeiting microdevices.In conclusion,this paper provides valuable insights into the current status and future prospects of TPP-based4D printing technology,thereby serving as a guide for researchers and practitioners.

Electricity Generation from Heatwaves

We chose a definition of heatwaves (HWs) that has ~4-year recurrence frequency at world hot spots. We first examined the 1940-2022 HWs climatology and trends in lifespan, severity, spatial extent, and recurrence frequency. HWs are becoming more frequent and more severe for extratropical mid- and low-latitudes. To euphemize HWs, we here propose a novel clean energy-tapping concept that utilizes the available nano-technology, micro-meteorology knowledge of temperature distribution within/without buildings, and radiative properties of earth atmosphere. The key points for a practical electricity generation scheme from HWs are defogging, insulation, and minimizing the absorption of infrared downward radiation at the cold legs of the thermoelectric generators. One sample realization is presented which, through relay with existing photovoltaic devices, provides all-day electricity supply sufficient for providing air conditioning requirement for a residence (~2000-watt throughput). The provision of power to air conditioning systems, usually imposes a significant stress on traditional city power grids during heatwaves.

Electrons dynamics control by shaping femtosecond laser pulses in micro/nanofabrication: modeling, method, measurement and application

During femtosecond laser fabrication,photons are mainly absorbed by electrons,and the subsequent energy transfer from electrons to ions is of picosecond order.Hence,lattice motion is negligible within the femtosecond pulse duration,whereas femtosecond photon-electron interactions dominate the entire fabrication process.Therefore,femtosecond laser fabrication must be improved by controlling localized transient electron dynamics,which poses a challenge for measuring and controlling at the electron level during fabrication processes.Pump-probe spectroscopy presents a viable solution,which can be used to observe electron dynamics during a chemical reaction.In fact,femtosecond pulse durations are shorter than many physical/chemical characteristic times,which permits manipulating,adjusting,or interfering with electron dynamics.Hence,we proposed to control localized transient electron dynamics by temporally or spatially shaping femtosecond pulses,and further to modify localized transient materials properties,and then to adjust material phase change,and eventually to implement a novel fabrication method.This review covers our progresses over the past decade regarding electrons dynamics control(EDC)by shaping femtosecond laser pulses in micro/nanomanufacturing:(1)Theoretical models were developed to prove EDC feasibility and reveal its mechanisms;(2)on the basis of the theoretical predictions,many experiments are conducted to validate our EDC-based femtosecond laser fabrication method.Seven examples are reported,which proves that the proposed method can significantly improve fabrication precision,quality,throughput and repeatability and effectively control micro/nanoscale structures;(3)a multiscale measurement system was proposed and developed to study the fundamentals of EDC from the femtosecond scale to the nanosecond scale and to the millisecond scale;and(4)As an example of practical applications,our method was employed to fabricate some key structures in one of the 16 Chinese National S&T Major Projects,for which electron dynamics were measured using our multiscale measurement system.

Bioinspired Multiscale Wrinkling Patterns on Curved Substrates:An Overview

The surface wrinkling of biological tissues is ubiquitous in nature.Accumulating evidence suggests that the mechanical force plays a significant role in shaping the biological morphologies.Controlled wrinkling has been demonstrated to be able to spontaneously form rich multiscale patterns,on either planar or curved surfaces.The surface wrinkling on planar substrates has been investigated thoroughly during the past decades.However,most wrinkling morphologies in nature are based on the curved biological surfaces and the research of controllable patterning on curved substrates still remains weak.The study of wrinkling on curved substrates is critical for understanding the biological growth,developing threedimensional(3D)or four-dimensional(4D)fabrication techniques,and creating novel topographic patterns.In this review,fundamental wrinkling mechanics and recent advances in both fabrications and applications of the wrinkling patterns on curved substrates are summarized.The mechanics behind the wrinkles is compared between the planar and the curved cases.Beyond the film thickness,modulus ratio,and mismatch strain,the substrate curvature is one more significant parameter controlling the surface wrinkling.Curved substrates can be both solid and hollow with various 3D geometries across multiple length scales.Up to date,the wrinkling morphologies on solid/hollow core-shell spheres and cylinders have been simulated and selectively produced.Emerging applications of the curved topographic patterns have been found in smart wetting surfaces,cell culture interfaces,healthcare materials,and actuators,which may accelerate the development of artificial organs,stimuli-responsive devices,and micro/nano fabrications with higher dimensions.

Ultrashort pulsed laser induced complex surface structures generated by tailoring the melt hydrodynamics

We present a novel approach for tailoring the laser induced surface topography upon femtosecond(fs)pulsed laser irradiation.The method employs spatially controlled double fs laser pulses to actively regulate the hydrodynamic microfluidic motion of the melted layer that gives rise to the structures formation.The pulse train used,in particular,consists of a previously unexplored spatiotemporal intensity combination including one pulse with Gaussian and another with periodically modulated intensity distribution created by Direct Laser Interference Patterning(DLIP).The interpulse delay is appropriately chosen to reveal the contribution of the microfluidic melt flow,while it is found that the sequence of the Gaussian and DLIP pulses remarkably influences the surface profile attained.Results also demonstrate that both the spatial intensity of the double pulse and the effective number of pulses per irradiation spot can further be modulated to control the formation of complex surface morphologies.The underlying physical processes behind the complex patterns’generation were interpreted in terms of a multiscale model combining electron excitation with melt hydrodynamics.We believe that this work can constitute a significant step forward towards producing laser induced surface structures on demand by tailoring the melt microfluidic phenomena.

Imaging/nonimaging microoptical elements and stereoscopic systems based on femtosecond laser direct writing

The development of modern information technology has led to significant demand for microoptical elements with complex surface profiles and nanoscale surface roughness.Therefore,various micro-and nanoprocessing techniques are used to fabricate microoptical elements and systems.Femtosecond laser direct writing(FsLDW)uses ultrafast pulses and the ultraintense instantaneous energy of a femtosecond laser for micro-nano fabrication.FsLDW exhibits various excellent properties,including nonlinear multiphoton absorption,high-precision processing beyond the diffraction limit,and the universality of processable materials,demonstrating its unique advantages and potential applications in three-dimensional(3D)micro-nano manufacturing.FsLDW has demonstrated its value in the fabrication of various microoptical systems.This study details three typical principles of FsLDW,several design considerations to improve processing performance,processable materials,imaging/nonimaging microoptical elements,and their stereoscopic systems.Finally,a summary and perspective on the future research directions for FsLDW-enabled microoptical elements and stereoscopic systems are provided.