Glasses

Glasses display attractive properties of inertness and other thermo-mechanical attributes which make them suitable for many micro and nanotechnology applications. Very thin sheets of glass (with thicknesses much less than 1mm) are extremely difficult to handle and machine with conventional processes. Using lasers, however, very thin glasses can be machined in situ with high quality and no peripheral damage, enabling new devices to be developed with enhanced properties.

110 micron diameter wells in Foturan glass

110 micron diameter wells in Foturan glass.

1mm wide well machined in BK7

1mm wide well machined in BK7.

200 micron through holes in 80 micron thick cover glass

200 micron through holes in 80 micron thick cover glass.

200 micron wide slots in glass

200 micron wide slots in glass.

800 micron diameter through holes in 1mm glass glass slide

800 micron diameter through holes in 1mm glass glass slide.

80 micron slot machined in 125 micron diamter cladding of silica optical fibre

80 micron slot machined in 125 micron diamter cladding of silica optical fibre.

Contoured cutting of 130 micron thick cover glass

Contoured cutting of 130 micron thick cover glass.

Microstructuring of glass

Microstructuring of glass.

Precision marking of glass to produce varying effects

Precision marking of glass to produce varying effects.

250 micron holes in 80 micron thick glass slide

250 micron holes in 80 micron thick glass slide.