Femtosecond pulse laser processing of TiN on silicon

Ultrashort pulse laser microstructuring (pulse duration 130 fs, wavelength 800 nm, repetition rate 2 Hz) of titanium nitride (TiN) films on silicon su bstrates was performed in air using the direct focusing technique. The late ral and vertical precision of laser ablation was evaluated. The TiN ablatio n threshold changed with the number of pulses applied to the surface due to an incubation effect. An ablation depth per pulse below the penetration de pth of light was observed. Columnar structures were formed in the silicon s ubstrate after drilling through the TiN layer. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.