LASER MICROMACHINING
particularly true for ultrashort pulses. High repetition rates with sufficiently high pulse energies are therefore necessary. One approach to improving both throughput and the precision of laser micromachining is to use tailored pulse bursts and pulse shapes. Using this approach, the temporal profile of the energy deposited can be optimised for a particular material so that incident energy is directed almost entirely to removal, rather than heating. The laser beam profile and
the performance of the beam- delivery optics are also of critical importance for laser micromachining applications. The beam-profile must be delivered in a single spatial mode to realise a tight, round focal spot on the sample. Each optical
element between the laser and the target workpiece can distort the beam incrementally, so both the number and quality of the optical elements need to be optimised for each application. If this isn’t done, optics with insufficient surface quality might be used, which can distort the shape of the beam. Alternatively, optics with an insufficiently clear aperture might be used, which can crop the beam and introduce undesirable diffractive effects. Such distorted or cropped beams would reduce the overall quality and accuracy of the micromachining process.
Industries served by micromachining The use of lasers to micromachine fine features on parts has become an essential part of high-volume manufacturing in industries such as consumer electronics, clean energy, medical device manufacturing and automotive. Generally speaking, these industries are increasingly demanding parts that are smaller and have finer, more densely packed features. Smartphones, for instance,
contain thousands of components featuring huge numbers of holes and precision cuts, and well over a billion of them are sold each year. The need to add more functionality to smartphones has forced
LIGHT CONVERSION FEATURED PRODUCT
LIGHT CONVERSION introduces an industrial 30 W ultraviolet femtosecond laser with exceptional beam quality and long-term reliability. This laser features a central wavelength of 343 nm. High average power at this UV wavelength enables high throughput in a range of industrial applications, such as ablation, dicing, and material modification for semiconductors, consumer electronics, luxury goods, and other industries.
The CARBIDE platform serves as the basis for constructing this laser, ensuring high-power UV generation and industry-standard vibrational and thermal tests. Additionally, extra care is taken in both the optomechanical design and diagnostics to ensure accurate power monitoring and performance tracking. Light Conversion draws on years of experience in developing industrial laser sources to address these complex challenges and provide a robust high-power UV femtosecond laser.
Overall, the industrial 50 W ultraviolet femtosecond laser from Light Conversion represents a significant advancement in laser technology, delivering exceptional performance and reliability for a range of industrial applications.
More information:
https://lightcon.com
manufacturers to fabricate printed circuit boards (PCBs) with smaller, more densely packed features. As such, laser micromachining is used for this purpose, and in the fabrication of semiconductor chips and their packaging. The manufacture of high-resolution touchscreen displays also relies on many laser micromachining processes. In the clean energy industry
laser micromachining is used, for example, to rapidly create fine features on photovoltaic panels to increase their efficiency, or in the production of lithium-ion batteries. In the automotive and
Laser micromachining firm Lightmotif can apply pillar textures to mould inserts
WWW.LASERSYSTEMSEUROPE.COM | @LASERSYSTEMSMAG
aerospace industries, lasers are used to machine parts made from lightweight materials such
“Ultrafast
lasers are being increasingly deployed to produce nanostructures that imbue surfaces with a range of functional properties”
as carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs), which can be difficult, or even impossible, to machine using conventional processes. In the medical industry, laser
micromachining is being used to produce the increasingly
g THE 2023 GUIDE TO LASER SYSTEMS LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE 51
Lightmotif
Lightmotif
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74
