The study of laser processing of acrylic intra-ocular lenses (IOL) by using femtosecond laser pulses delivered at high-repetition rate is presented in this work. An ultra-compact air-cooled femtosecond diode laser (HighQ2-SHG, Spectra-Physics) delivering 250 fs laser pulses at the fixed wavelength of 520 nm with a repetition rate of 63 MHz was used to process the samples. Laser inscription of linear periodic patterns on the surface and inside the acrylic substrates was studied as a function of the processing parameters as well as the optical absorption characteristics of the sample. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and micro-Raman Spectroscopy were used to evaluate the compositional and microstructural changes induced by the laser radiation in the processed areas. Diffractive characterization was used to assess 1st-order efficiency and the refractive index change.
Keywords: Raman spectroscopy; femtosecond pulses; laser processing; ophthalmic polymers.