Investigating Fused Silica Bending Strength and Damping Characteristics on Resonators Fabricated Through Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Wet Etching: An Experimental Analysis

Fused silica, renowned for its optical transparency and exceptional mechanical properties, including a high elastic range, challenges traditional material selection for compliant mechanisms. Leveraging femtosecond laser-assisted wet etching to machine three-dimensional fused silica structures, this study investigates the elastic range and damping characteristics of micro-scale monolithic bending specimens. Experimental results offer insights into the fused silica material application range for precision sensors and resonator design. Bending stress estimations are reported between 1.1 GPa and 2.7 GPa and a quality factor
$Q=1.85\times 10^{5}$
at a pressure of
$2\times 10^{-3}$
mbar.