Project description

The LaserMicroFab project aims to validate the selective micro and nano-patterning, micro-curing and micro-printing processes by means of development of specific applications such as organic electronics and biosensors.

The upper goal of the project, is the integration of the innovative aspects of Laser digital microfabrication processes in one Laser Platform. The success of this project will have a great impact on the market potential of Oxford Lasers (SME partner) and the research excellence of the NTUA and the CNRS-LP3 (academic partners) at the fields of laser materials engineering, biotechnology and organic electronics.

• Selective Laser Micro and Nano-Patterning of thin (0.5 um < thickness layer) and of ultrathin(thickness layer < 50 nm) (nanostructured) organic and inorganic layers and multilayer stacks for organic electronics applications. The key implementation issues for this specific objective is the development of advanced beam delivery techniques for large area processing. The optimization of the laser processing conditions is also critical in order to define an optimum "cold ablation" process window. This will allow to remove consistently one or more targeted layers with a restricted thermal budget without any collateral damage, which is critical for the device applications.
• Laser digital micro-fabrication of 2D metallic NP interconnects and sensors. The key implementation issue for the fabrication of the interconnects is the optimization of the laser processing conditions (beam delivery techniques, laser parameters) in order to achieve large area processing with a high spatial resolution. The combination of the short pulses (ns) laser microprinting process and the ultrashort pulses (ps and fs) laser micro-curing processes is expected to offer a submicron resolution for printing conductive interconnects and sensors.
• Laser micro-printing/immobilization of delicate photosynthetic biomaterials for biosensors fabrication. The key implementation issue for this specific objective is to define optimum laser processing conditions in order to achieve high printing resolution (<10 um) and direct biomaterials immobilization on the sensors surface achieving sensitivity down to 10^-10 M.