Advancing Calcium Fluoride Optics: Engineering Stronger Solutions for High-Power Lasers

The rise of hyperscale data centers, artificial intelligence, and smarter consumer electronic devices continues to fuel the demand for more computing power, including increased memory and storage per chip. This industry progress is enabled by crystalline calcium fluoride (CaF2) materials, which are the material of choice for ArF laser-based microchip fabrication in the photolithography process. The high photon energy, short pulse duration, and high pulse power density of these lasers can damage CaF2 laser optics after short exposure times. Therefore, low-loss and laser-durable CaF2 optics are required for the next generation of high-power lasers.

This talk discusses the challenges we hear from industry partners, shares results from extensive research and development efforts aimed at improving the laser damage resistance of optical components, and explores how this technology plays a vital role in the laser optics and precision optics industries. Finally, the presentation covers additional industry applications where CaF2 materials are ideally suited.

About Gerald Cox
Gerald (Jerry) Cox, Ph.D., has over 36 years of experience in industry and is a project manager and technical lead in the thin films and surfaces development group focused on laser optics within the Advanced Optics Division at Corning Inc. He received both his doctorate in Materials Science and bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Rochester.

Currently, he is focused on high-power 193 nm laser optics development for the semiconductor industry. His background includes experience in a diverse range of technologies, including thin film coatings, surface preparation, metrology, laser damage testing and analysis for optical materials. Prior to Corning, Cox worked at Xerox Corporation developing toner processes, materials, and inkjet printhead technology. Cox has authored several patents and publications related to laser optics, xerography, and polymer liquid crystal technology, as well as being a former Horton Research Fellow at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

About Jackson Standard
Jackson Standard is the associate product line manager for laser optics at Corning Incorporated. In this role, he supports the manufacturability of fluoride crystal products for various laser applications within semiconductor manufacturing by driving collaboration across Corning’s engineering, manufacturing, and research divisions. Previously, Standard led quality programs for nearly a decade including at Corning’s Fairport, N.Y. plant where he improved yields and customer integration through numerous DMAIC and continuous improvement activities. He holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and is pursuing a master’s in business administration from the University of Rochester.