Laser Induced Reverse Transfer with metal and hybrid material prepared with sol–gel process used on glass substrate

This article presents a possible use of Laser Induced Reverse Transfer (LIRT) for metal deposition combined with hybrid material prepared using the sol–gel process. The goal was to obtain two dimensional metal gratings with inorganic–organic hybrid material protection on low cost glass substrates. The hybrid material using the sol–gel material is employed here to give better adhesion of metal deposited by LIRT on glass substrates, and also to possibly cover the metal structure. The hybrid material was an organically modified silicate glass based on methacryloxypropyltri-methoxysilane (MATPMS) and zirconium propoxide. The proposed process permits to prototype rapidly small diffractive structure in amplitude mode or to mark two dimensional complicated patterns without complex technologies employing a focalized and computer controlled Nd–YAG laser at 1064 nm. The different steps of the technology are also discussed.