Advanced photonic and optofluidic devices fabricated in glass via femtosecond laser micromachining [Invited]

Thanks to its unique properties, glass plays a fundamental role in science and technology, especially in optics and photonics. For instance, its transparency has been exploited in the last decades for efficiently guiding light in optical fibers for long distances, while its versatility makes it the perfect material in different research fields, ranging from fundamental science to biology and chemistry. On the occasion of the International Year of Glass, we would like to discuss a powerful microfabrication technique for devices in this material: femtosecond laser micromachining (FLM). This technique can process different types of glass, and thanks to the nonlinear nature of the induced modification, it enables the fabrication of complex three-dimensional micro-structures capable of guiding light or transporting fluids. The purpose of this review article is to celebrate the multidisciplinary nature of FLM by discussing, without claim for completeness and after a brief introduction about the process, a selection of its applications in the diverse fields of biology, strong-field physics, and astronomy.