Micromachining of Metals Using Ultrashort Laser Pulses

Abstract

This paper will discuss the potential of ultrashort pulse laser sources for micromachining applications of metals.It will be demonstrated that by using ultrashort pulse lasers very high precision, comparable to those of EDM or other micromachining technique, is achievable.The application of this novel laser micromachining technology significantly improves the efficiency of the ablation process reducing processing times.The pulse duration requirements for melting-and burr-free ablation of metals will also be discussed.Some examples of microstructures in different metals will be shown.