LASER ABLATION
Laser ablation based on ultra-fast interaction between material and femtosecond laser irradiation allows "cold processing" with minimal thermal effects and superb cut quality without damaging the surrounding material. Almost any material can be processed: metals, polymers, glass, even paper (banknotes, for example).
Examples
Cutouts in polymer
Arbitrary shaped cutouts, sample thickness 50 µm
Holes in hard metal
Ablation speed – up to one hole of 30 µm in diameter and 18µm out diameter in 50 ms.
Holes in steel
500 µm in diameter in 0.33 mm thickness steel
Micro grooves
In glass-like carbon, groove width 5-6 µm
Micro grooves
Arbitrary shaped grooves in copper, depth 45 µm
Square holes with rounded corners
Pitch between holes substantially smaller that the size of the hole. Spaces are thin and straight, ablation edges are clear, minimal thermal influence.
Surface structuring
The surfaces created with fs pulses can be easily made both repelling and adhering, playing into needs of basically any application