Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses
Biocompatible polymers are used for many different purposes (catheters, artificial heart components, dentistry products, etc.). An important field for biocompatible polymers is the production of vision implants known as intraocular lenses or custom-shape contact lenses. Typically, curved surfaces ar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/12/1093 |
| _version_ | 1827700339219890176 |
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| author | Evaldas Kažukauskas Simas Butkus Piotr Tokarski Vytautas Jukna Martynas Barkauskas Valdas Sirutkaitis |
| author_facet | Evaldas Kažukauskas Simas Butkus Piotr Tokarski Vytautas Jukna Martynas Barkauskas Valdas Sirutkaitis |
| author_sort | Evaldas Kažukauskas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biocompatible polymers are used for many different purposes (catheters, artificial heart components, dentistry products, etc.). An important field for biocompatible polymers is the production of vision implants known as intraocular lenses or custom-shape contact lenses. Typically, curved surfaces are manufactured by mechanical means such as milling, turning or lathe cutting. The 2.5 D objects/surfaces can also be manufactured by means of laser micromachining; however, due to the nature of light–matter interaction, it is difficult to produce a surface finish with surface roughness values lower than ~1 µm Ra. Therefore, laser micromachining alone can’t produce the final parts with optical-grade quality. Laser machined surfaces may be polished via mechanical methods; however, the process may take up to several days, which makes the production of implants economically challenging. The aim of this study is the investigation of the polishing capabilities of rough (~1 µm Ra) hydrophilic acrylic surfaces using bursts of femtosecond laser pulses. By changing different laser parameters, it was possible to find a regime where the surface roughness can be minimized to 18 nm Ra, while the polishing of the entire part takes a matter of seconds. The produced surface demonstrates a transparent appearance and the process shows great promise towards commercial fabrication of low surface roughness custom-shape optics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c21ce352d0a484291e144faba34bd59 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c21ce352d0a484291e144faba34bd592023-11-21T00:13:02ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2020-12-011112109310.3390/mi11121093Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser PulsesEvaldas Kažukauskas0Simas Butkus1Piotr Tokarski2Vytautas Jukna3Martynas Barkauskas4Valdas Sirutkaitis5Laser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 10, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaLaser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 10, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaMsl Med Services Ltd., Rodou 6, Tremithousa, Paphos 8270, CyprusLaser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 10, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaLaser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 10, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaLaser Research Center, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 10, LT-10223 Vilnius, LithuaniaBiocompatible polymers are used for many different purposes (catheters, artificial heart components, dentistry products, etc.). An important field for biocompatible polymers is the production of vision implants known as intraocular lenses or custom-shape contact lenses. Typically, curved surfaces are manufactured by mechanical means such as milling, turning or lathe cutting. The 2.5 D objects/surfaces can also be manufactured by means of laser micromachining; however, due to the nature of light–matter interaction, it is difficult to produce a surface finish with surface roughness values lower than ~1 µm Ra. Therefore, laser micromachining alone can’t produce the final parts with optical-grade quality. Laser machined surfaces may be polished via mechanical methods; however, the process may take up to several days, which makes the production of implants economically challenging. The aim of this study is the investigation of the polishing capabilities of rough (~1 µm Ra) hydrophilic acrylic surfaces using bursts of femtosecond laser pulses. By changing different laser parameters, it was possible to find a regime where the surface roughness can be minimized to 18 nm Ra, while the polishing of the entire part takes a matter of seconds. The produced surface demonstrates a transparent appearance and the process shows great promise towards commercial fabrication of low surface roughness custom-shape optics.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/12/1093femtosecond micromachiningburst processingintraocular lenshydrophilic acrylicsurface roughnesspolishing |
| spellingShingle | Evaldas Kažukauskas Simas Butkus Piotr Tokarski Vytautas Jukna Martynas Barkauskas Valdas Sirutkaitis Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses Micromachines femtosecond micromachining burst processing intraocular lens hydrophilic acrylic surface roughness polishing |
| title | Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses |
| title_full | Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses |
| title_fullStr | Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses |
| title_short | Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses |
| title_sort | micromachining of transparent biocompatible polymers applied in medicine using bursts of femtosecond laser pulses |
| topic | femtosecond micromachining burst processing intraocular lens hydrophilic acrylic surface roughness polishing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/12/1093 |
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