Microchannels Direct Machining using the Femtosecond Smooth Ablation Method

Damage threshold and ablation rate measurements were performed on Bk7 glass for femtosecond single and multipulses. The incubation parameter was found and used to develop a new strategy for machining microchannels in Bk7. Optical Coherent Tomography - OCT measurements showed that this ablation process can be effective in obtaining deep, well defined square cross section microchannels with no cracks or resolidified material. It was also verified that OCT can be useful in detecting small index refraction changes induced to the surround of the machined area.