Title :
Enhanced polymer ablation rates using high-repetition-rate ultraviolet lasers
Author :
Illy, Elizabeth K. ; Brown, Daniel J.W. ; Withford, Michael J. ; Piper, James A.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Macquarie Univ., North Ryde, NSW, Australia
Abstract :
Etch rates (μm/pulse) for glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) under pulsed UV (255 nm) laser processing are measured as a function of pulse repetition frequency in the range 0.7-15 kHz. Materials removal rates (μm/s) scale approximately linearly with pulse repetition frequency at a fluence of 0.59 J/cm2, and there appears to be no attenuation of the ablating laser beam by the ejected material plume for pulse rates up to 15 kHz. The instantaneous etch rate for pulses in a sequence increases markedly (~40%) for long pulse sequences (>100 pulses) at high PRF (15 kHz), an effect which can be used to increase machining rates while operating at a moderate laser fluence
Keywords :
laser ablation; laser beam etching; laser beam machining; micromachining; polymers; 255 nm; ablating laser beam; ejected material plume; enhanced polymer ablation rates; etch rates; glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate; high-repetition-rate ultraviolet lasers; long pulse sequences; machining rates; materials removal rates; moderate laser fluence; pulse repetition frequency; pulsed UV laser processing; Etching; Frequency measurement; Laser ablation; Linear approximation; Optical attenuators; Optical materials; Optical pulses; Polyethylene; Polymers; Pulse measurements;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/2944.814996
