Anotace:
This study presents a comprehensive investigation into advanced laser micro/nano machining techniques, utilising three distinct laser sources: a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, a fibre laser, and a CO2 laser. Notably, the creation of remarkably stable silicon nanoparticles was achieved, opening up promising avenues for new applications. The potential of quartz sheets was exploited to produce spherical microlens arrays, thereby demonstrating the precision of optical element engineering. The distribution of surface and subsurface temperatures for both silicon and quartz materials during laser processing was determined through an in-depth thermal analysis facilitated by COMSOL software. Notably, peak temperatures of 5 700 K and 2 630 K were achieved for silicon and quartz, respectively, highlighting the effectiveness of the laser methodologies employed. Numerical optimisations were conducted using Design of Experiments (DOE) software to enhance silicon nanoparticle production, yielding nanoparticles with a remarkable stability parameter of 33.5 mV. Furthermore, notable outcomes were achieved in the production of quartz microlenses with a numerical aperture of 0.494 and a surface roughness of 4.5 nm. The controllable and precise nature of the laser micro/nano machining techniques enables applications in optoelectronics and advanced biological imaging. The exceptional properties of the engineered silicon nanoparticles and microlens arrays demonstrate their potential across various scientific and technological domains.