Patent ID: 8092739

Claim:
A method of creating nanoscale holes comprising the steps of: (a) creating a layered structure comprising a substrate material receiving the nanoscale hole and a shock wave containing backer material adjacent to a rear face of the substrate material; (b) applying a focused laser in a direction of laser transmission and for a first period to a front face of the substrate material to ablate a first crater opening at the front face of the substrate material and extending into the substrate material by an amount less than a thickness of the substrate material; (c) applying the focused laser in the direction of laser transmission through the front surface and for a second period to heat material beyond the first crater to produce a shock wave generating a second crater starting at the rear face of the substrate material and extending into the substrate material in a direction that opposes the direction of laser transmission and to connect with the first crater thereby creating an opening between the first and second crater having a hole diameter wherein the second crater has a diameter at the rear face larger than the hole diameter.