A study of a silicone film deposited on quartz glass under laser radiation

The paper studies the structure, optical and operational properties of a silicone film deposited on the surface of quartz glass as a result of the action of laser radiation on volatile substances released from a silicone rubber sample in a closed volume. The research was carried out within the framework of the laser multiparameter method and using an original setup, which includes a solid-state neodymium laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm, and laser pulse parameters: energy of 105 mJ, a duration of 11–14 ns, a repetition rate of 10 Hz. A sealed test-cuvette is placed at the output of the laser. A silicone rubber sample is placed inside the test-cuvette. When laser radiation passes through the test-cuvette, volatile substances that are released from the sample over time interact with the laser radiation and create deposition zones on the optical elements of the test-cuvette, which affect the optical characteristics of these optical elements. The topology of the deposition zones was studied using a profilometer. The structural composition of the original silicone rubber and the deposition zone was determined using a scanning electron microscope. The main results show the dependences of the coefficients of the area and attenuation of the deposition zone on the temperature and the number of laser pulses. The elemental composition, color, resistance to the action of the solvent, and the thickness of the deposition zones have been investigated. It was found that with an increase in the temperature and the number of laser pulses, the area and attenuation coefficients of the deposition zones increase, the color does not change, and the resistance to the action of the solvent increases. With an increase in temperature, the deposition zone, initially consisting of micro-fragments, becomes continuous, and with an increase in the number of laser pulses, its thickness increases. The thickness of the deposition zone is unevenly distributed along its diameter. The results obtained can be applied in the development of silicone-containing biochips for health diagnostics and therapy.