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High-rate fiber laser systems and modern microprocessing
The opportunity to combine high-rate fiber laser systems and high-speed scanning systems allows performing fast and precise machining processes of large substrates. Microprocessing using high-rate laser systems is considered to be a key laser technology for modern microfabrication and production.
The operation of new high-rate machining technology is based on the benefits presented by high-power fiber lasers and high-speed processing, the main purpose of which is the implementation of advanced and reliable laser system micromachining processes from the lab to the industry, resulting in high productivity, processing speed, and throughput.
Advances in fiber laser sources
This purpose becomes easy to achieve due to “recent progress in the development of fiber laser sources supplying hundreds to thousands of watts of laser system power with excellent laser beam quality, as well as high-average-power ultrafast lasers.” The advantages of ultrafast scan systems enable the avoidance of thermal damage to the substrates, even at high laser beam powers, by redirecting the laser beam of high quality at unprecedented speeds during the process of high-rate machining.
Ultrafast scanning systems for precise machining
It is possible to use large-aperture polygon-mirror-based scan systems with long-focal-length objectives to provide fast laser beam-spot motions varying between several tens of meters to kilometers per second. For instance, a high beam quality laser allows delivering spot sizes of several 10 µm over large scan fields up to 700 × 700 mm2. It is possible to control fiber laser activity by fast laser beam switching to accurately synchronize the laser beam with the ultrafast polygon scanning system.
Applications of high-rate micromachining
The technology of high-rate micromachining by fiber laser system is an ideal solution when it comes to the production of microscale surface features with structural dimensions ranging from hundreds of nanometers to several tens of micrometers. The laser system provides data information that can be applied to control mechanical, chemical, and physical surface features, for example, self-cleaning and wettability, static friction and adhesion, optical and microfluidic properties, etc.
Requirements for industrial implementation
The equipment is required to be installed in a reliable micromachining system to use all the benefits provided by the polygon scanner system and the full power of the laser beam source for industrial applications. The fiber laser system offers high precision and high dynamic processing of large and flat glass and metal substrates. Additionally, the laser system can be specially configured in dynamics, metrology, handling, and laser beam components in order to meet a customer’s goals.