Ablation

Ionizing material by laser light

Laser ablation can be briefly explained as theremoval of solid material by exposure to (focused) laser light. Laser desorption (ablation without plasma ignition) and laser vaporization (ablation with plasma ignition) are distinguished. When heating a sample with high laser power, the liquid state is often skipped and the phase changes directly from solid to gas – this is called sublimation. This is a process of vaporization. If the gas is additionally ionized by the high peak powers, a plasma with a temperature of several thousand Kelvin ignites. This happens – depending on the material – at power densities of aprroximately3 GW/cm². This means, that ablation depends on pulse energy, pulse length and focus size of a pulsed laser shot. Return to the solid phase at the same location does not happen (or is exceedingly unlikely), so material is removed. Ablation, due to all the individual physical processes, is the basis for a large number of laser-based applications. Either material removal, vaporization (and deposition of the vaporized material elsewhere), or the resulting plasma itself can be the key factor in an application.

Ablation material processing

In engraving, marking, cutting and generally material processing , the focus is on actual ablation – that is, material removal. The chemical and optical properties of the exposed material are important, as it absorbs different wavelengths differently and, accordingly, ablation is more or less efficient. While IR lasers are mainly used for material processing of e.g. metals, UV light is particularly absorbed by transparent material. This makes UV and DUV lasers the ideal basis for glass engraving and ophthalmology in general. Due to the small wavelength, it is also possible to have smaller diameters when focusing the laser beam, which allows higher power densities to be achieved. In addition, a much more detailed engraving is possible, since structures can be resolved better.

Qualitative and quantitative elemental analyses

If a plasma ignites, the plasma light can be captured and spectrally resolved. This provides information about the chemical properties of the exposed sample. This makes both qualitative and quantitative elemental analyses possible. This technology is called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS, subform of atomic emission spectroscopy). LIBS is in high demand (in both scientific and industrial environments) due to its speed, accuracy, quasi non-destructivity, and ability to identify even light elements. Due to the need for a hot plasma, lasers with high pulse energy and short pulse duration are particularly suitable.

Vaporized material returns to the solid phase after cooling. This is used in processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD). Again, there are laser-based applications.

Related products:

2023-01-19T12:40:58+00:00

eMOPA213-20

  • Pulse energy: 20 µJ
  • Wavelength: 213 nm
  • Average power: 20 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 33 kW
2023-01-19T14:51:27+00:00

eMOPA266-40

  • Pulse energy: 40 µJ
  • Wavelength: 266 nm
  • Average power: 40 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 50 kW
2023-01-19T14:51:44+00:00

eMOPA355-100

  • Pulse energy: 100 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 100 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 111 kW
2023-01-19T14:52:06+00:00

eMOPA532-200

  • Pulse energy: 200 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 200 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 182 kW
2023-01-19T14:46:03+00:00

MOPA266-50

  • Pulse energy: 50 µJ
  • Wavelength: 266 nm
  • Average power: 50 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 50 kW
2023-01-19T14:43:21+00:00

MOPA355-200

  • Pulse energy: 200 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 200 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 143 kW
2023-01-19T14:43:41+00:00

MOPA355-500mW

  • Pulse energy: 25 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 500 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 23 kW
2023-01-19T14:43:56+00:00

MOPA532-250

  • Pulse energy: 250 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 250 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 179 kW
2023-01-19T14:44:30+00:00

MOPA532-700mW

  • Pulse energy: 35 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 700 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 29 kW
2023-01-19T14:44:45+00:00

MOPA1064-650

  • Pulse energy: 650 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 650 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 406 kW
2023-01-19T14:45:47+00:00

MOPA1064-2000mW

  • Pulse energy: 100 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 2000 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 63 kW
2023-11-17T14:25:55+00:00

FTSS355-Q1

  • Pulse energy: 0,3 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 5 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 1 kW
2023-01-19T14:15:52+00:00

FTSS355-Q2

  • Pulse energy: 3 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 30 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 10000 Hz
  • Peak power: 3 kW
2023-01-19T14:16:48+00:00

FTSS355-Q3

  • Pulse energy: 15 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 15 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 2500 Hz
  • Peak power: 14 kW
2023-01-19T14:17:20+00:00

FTSS355-Q4

  • Pulse energy: 39 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 42 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 38 kW
2023-01-19T14:20:06+00:00

FDSS532-Q1

  • Pulse energy: 2 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 30 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 2 kW
2023-01-19T14:20:12+00:00

FDSS532-Q2

  • Pulse energy: 3 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 60 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 10000 Hz
  • Peak power: 5 kW
2023-01-19T14:20:37+00:00

FDSS532-Q3

  • Pulse energy: 20 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 20 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 2500 Hz
  • Peak power: 15 kW
2023-01-19T14:20:54+00:00

FDSS532-Q4

  • Pulse energy: 42 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 42 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power 32 kW
2023-01-19T14:24:28+00:00

DSS1064-Q1

  • Pulse energy: 10 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 150 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 20000 Hz
  • Peak power: 7 kW
2023-01-19T14:24:34+00:00

DSS1064-Q2

  • Pulse energy: 20 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 200 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:10000 Hz
  • Peak power: 13 kW
2023-01-19T14:24:49+00:00

DSS1064-Q3

  • Pulse energy: 50 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 50 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:2500 Hz
  • Peak power 32 kW
2023-01-19T14:24:56+00:00

DSS1064-Q4

  • Pulse energy: 90 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 90 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 1000 Hz
  • Peak power: 60 kW
2023-01-19T13:24:33+00:00

FQSS213-50

  • Pulse energy: 50 µJ
  • Wavelength: 213 nm
  • Average power: 1 mW
  • Max. repetition rate: 30 Hz
  • Peak power: 100 kW
2023-01-19T13:26:49+00:00

FQSS266-50

  • Pulse energy: 50 µJ
  • Wavelength: 266 nm
  • Average power: 5 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:100 Hz
  • Peak power: 45 kW
2023-01-19T13:27:12+00:00

FQSS266-200

  • Pulse energy: 200 µJ
  • Wavelength: 266 nm
  • Average power: 4 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:60 Hz
  • Peak power: 133 kW
2023-01-19T13:28:12+00:00

FTSS355-50

  • Pulse energy: 70 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 7 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:100 Hz
  • Peak power: 54 kW
2023-01-19T13:41:19+00:00

FTSS355-300

  • Pulse energy: 300 µJ
  • Wavelength: 355 nm
  • Average power: 6 mW
  • Max. pulse frequency: 80 Hz
  • Peak power: 174 kW
2023-01-19T13:40:47+00:00

FDSS532-150

  • Pulse energy: 150 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 15 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:100 Hz
  • Peak power: 125 kW
2023-01-19T13:39:43+00:00

FDSS532-1000

  • Pulse energy: 1000 µJ
  • Wavelength: 532 nm
  • Average power: 20 mW
  • Max. pulse frequency: 80 Hz
  • Peak power: 556 kW
2023-01-19T13:39:06+00:00

DSS1064-450

  • Pulsen energy: 450 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 45 mW
  • Max. repetition rate:100 Hz
  • Peak power: 265 kW
2023-01-19T13:37:58+00:00

DSS1064-3000

  • Pulse energy: 2500 µJ
  • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Average power: 50 mW
  • Max. pulse frequency: 80 Hz
  • Peak power: 1000 kW