Abstract

The use of lasers to machine thin metals films is of considerable interest, particularly with regard to electronic device fabrication.^1,2 We report the use of a UV excimer laser in this application and present results for single-shot removal of various metals films on several types of substrate; theoretical modeling of the laser-film Interaction has been carried out, and it is demonstrated that detailed patterns with good resolution can be produced over relatively large areas on a single-shot basis. Excimer lasers are shown to be very well suited to this task, since the reflectivity of metals in the UV is generally low leading to good energy coupling to the film, the wavelength is short allowing, in principle, submicron resolution, and the pulse duration is suitably short (~10 nsec) to avoid significant damage to the substrate.

© 1983 Optical Society of America