Laser Components is involved in the Nano-RuGIT project, which is funded by the Central Innovation Program for SME (ZIM). The goal of the project is to manufacture pulse compression gratings flexibly and inexpensively. A grating structure is developed on a dielectric alternating layer system with maximum diffraction efficiency and the best possible damage threshold for 20 fs pulses at substrate sizes of more than 3”.
The project began on April 1, 2015, and will run two years. Together with the Institute for Laser Beam Tools (IFSW) in Stuttgart and Temicon GmbH, the kick-off meeting was held at the end of July.
The aim is to produce a laser mirror with a spectral bandwidth of 100 nm with an R>99.8% @ 1030 nm. The grating structure will be produced by Temicon GmbH via nanoimprint lithography. To increase the damage threshold, the pulse co
mpression grating will be based on a hafnium silicon dioxide Rugate design.
In the current working phase, single layers will be produced to characterize the coating materials used. This will serve as the basis for the layer designs of the alternating layer systems. These designs will be created via ion beam sputtering (IBS) and plasma ion-assisted deposition (PIAD) using Laser Components’ facilities.
The aim is to achieve a margin of error of <1% in the layer thickness at maximum coating capacity.
Afterwards, Temicon GmbH will structure the samples and IFSW will test their functionality. This consists of, among others, determining the diffraction efficiency and reflectivity. In addition, the damage threshold of unstructured and structured layer systems will be determined conforming to standards in cw operation and the fs regime. Finally, both methods will be compared with each other.
