Microstructures on the surface and in the bulk of sapphire substrates

In collaboration with researchers from the Department of Mechanics of Solids (MS3 - Laser Processing) and the MESA+ Institute, our colleagues developed a method to fabricate microstructures in the bulk and on the surface of sapphire. By first transforming the sapphire's structure from crystalline into amorphous using focused ultra-short laser pulses inside the sapphire, the amorphous materials can be selectively removed by wet etching in a subsequent step. The collaboration between two groups with unique expertise resulted in a publication in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.