The microstructure of a lithium aluminosilicate (LAS) glass ceramic has been modified by ultra-short pulsed laser radiation during the crystallization process. Laser pulses with 10 ps pulse duration, 1064 nm wavelength and a repetition rate of 50 kHz have been focused inside LAS glass ceramic using a microscope objective with a NA of 0.4. Before laser treatment the LAS glass ceramic was already transformed to a primary crystallization stage by using a heat treatment at 540°C and 660°C. Caused by nonlinear absorption processes energy is transferred from the photons to the lattice and leads to local melting. The fast cooling of the melted volume due to heat conduction enables the formation of an amorphous phase. After a second heat treatment at 830°C the laser irradiated area shows a different microstructure compared to the untreated area. Influences of the modified microstructure on mechanical and optical properties have been studied. Potential applications of this process are proposed.

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Florian Senn, Ronald Holtz, Sonja-Michaela Gross-Barsnick, and Uwe Reisgen, "Laser micro-processing of ceramic glasses by ultra-short laser pulses," Proc. SPIE 10905, Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing (LAMOM) XXIV, 109050W (Presented at SPIE LASE: February 06, 2019; Published: 1 April 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2514353.