Laser-induced microstructuring of photonic materials: Semiconductors

The laser has become an increasingly important tool, which helps to overcome the limitations of conventional microfabrication technologies, delivering devices capable of performing new and increased numbers of operations within an ever shrinking physical volume. In addition to "classical" applications of lasers such as via hole drilling, trimming or pulsed laser deposition of thin films, there have been new developments in laser-based technologies for the fabrication of advanced micro- and nano-devices. Of particular interest for optoelectronic and photonic applications is the potential for commercial processing of semiconductors and the fabrication of integrated and monolithically integrated photonic devices and circuits.