Real-time monitoring of indium tin oxide laser ablation in liquid crystal display patterning

Abstract

Audible acoustic wave detection was used to study KrF excimer laser ablation of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films for liquid crystal display (LCD) patterning. The audible acoustic waves were detected due to shock wave generation during ITO laser ablation for laser fluence higher than the threshold. However, application of more laser pulses dropped the amplitude to zero due to the complete removal of the ITO layer which accounts for the simultaneous ablation of the ITO layer and the glass substrate. Threshold fluences for glass and ITO ablation were estimated to set up a parameter window to control LCD patterning in real time.