Advancing Glass Engineering: Harnessing Focused Electron Beams for Direct Microstructuring
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A technological approach for direct glass structuring is presented by exploiting electron‐beam‐induced defect generation utilizing a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structuring process is assumed to be linked to electron‐beam‐induced ion migration and allows to create structures of several hundred nanometers in depth. It is demonstrated that the structuring can be realized in literally any SEM, which thus enables a comparatively simple implementation in support of a broad field of applications. The experiments are realized using electron energies of 5 to 15 keV in combination with different kinds of glasses, such as fused silica and ultra‐low expansion glass, that are equipped with a charge dissipation top‐layer. By controlling the beam trajectory at the surface and the electron beam parameters, freeform structuring, structure arrays, direct embedding of metal structures into the glass surface, and beam‐defined three‐level patterning are realized. The shown electron beam‐based glass structuring extends therefore the current possibilities in a complementary manner, enabling further fabrication strategies and direct structuring even of fragile, 3D‐structured surfaces.
Source: Small Methods
Authors: Mathias Holz, Martin Hofmann, Christoph Weigel, Steffen Strehle
Institution: Technische Universität Ilmenau
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,640
Funder: Technische Universität Ilmenau
OpenAlex ID: W4408301004