Microstructuring of various materials using femtosecond laser pulses

Abstract

New results on three-dimensional micro-structuring of electrolytic copper CW004A, brass 2.0401, steel THYRODUR® 2990 (X100CrMoV8-1-1) and tungsten carbide hard metal will be presented. For the investigations, a largely automated high-precision fs-laser micro-machining station (Lasersystem: Clark-MXR CPA 2010, wavelength 775 nm, repetition rate 1 kHz, maximum pulse energy 1 mJ, pulse duration 150 fs) was used. Based on investigations of the ablation behaviour of the various materials in dependence of the laser processing parameters, which will be presented in the first part of the talk, different 3D-microstructures have been produced in those materials. The effect of different process gases to the investigation result will be presented. In the second part of the presentation, complex 3D microstructures with a variety of geometries, such as half spheres and pyramids, and resolutions down to a few micrometers showing smooth side walls as well as steep wall angles and the parameters which were found to be optimum for the microstructuring of each material will be presented. Finally an EDX- analysis reflects that there is no consequence of the fs-microstructuring at the decomposition of the chemical compound on the structured surface.