Excimer-laser-based multifunctional patterning systems for optoelectronics, MEMS, materials processing, and biotechnology

Over the past few years, there has been an increasing impact of microelectronics fabrication technologies on the realization of structures and spatial patterns necessary for advances in optoelectronics, MEMS, materials processing, and biotechnology. These fabrication technologies accelerate the pace of research by enabling the micro-manipulation and patterning of a variety of organic, inorganic, and biological materials (including new polymers, compound semiconductors, DNA, proteins, and others), developing new synthesis techniques, and producing structures and devices previously not deemed possible. In order to facilitate the exploration of these fields, it is desirable to develop processing techniques and cost-effective, multifunctional systems that can handle a wide variety of substrate materials and geometries, including non-planar surfaces. This paper describes recent advances made in excimer-laser-based patterning, photoablation, and photo-crystallization technologies, focusing on how these technologies address the unique requirements of applications for scientific research and for technology development.