Ultrashort pulse Laser based Micro Drilling and Microstructuring
Laser drilling technologies are primarily used when conventional manufacturing technologies
like drilling or EDM (electrical discharge machining) no longer promise successful machining
Laser-beam helical drilling enables manufacturing of high quality micro holes with various
conicity, high aspect ratios and minimal heat affected area.
The laser emits radiation in the form of (ultrashort) pulses with a duration in the picosecond
(10-12 s) to femtosecond (10-15 s) range.
Due to these unique features helical drilling are used in applications such as fuel injector
nozzles and filters.
Fig. Classification of drilling Process
[Link] Pulsed Drilling
Applications include the production of cooling air holes in turbine
components such as blades or combustion chambers, holes for fuel
filters or injection nozzles
Fig. Air holes in Turbine Blades
2. Percussion Drilling
Percussion drilling is crucial for creating tiny, precise holes in semiconductor wafers and
microelectronic components. These holes may be used for through-silicon vias (TSVs),
interconnects, or microfluidic channels in lab-on-a-chip devices.
Fig: Holes in Silicon wafers
3. Trepanning Drilling
In the renewable energy industry, trepanning pulse drilling can be used for fabricating
components for wind turbines, solar panels, and energy storage systems. Whether it's drilling
holes in turbine blades or mounting brackets for solar arrays.
Fig: Holes in Mounting Brackets
Components and Working
Fig. Schematic of helical drilling systems
1. Half Wave plate 2. Second mirror 3. Deflection Mirror 4. Hollow shaft mirror 5. Balancing
Holder 6. Nozzle
Working
1. Adjusting Polarization
2. Beam Direction Control
3. Rotation Inside the motor
4. Final Focus
Fig: Helical drilling and illustration of rotation motion
During the drilling process the material volume is removed from the hole. Before it is
completely perforated, melt and vapor are logically driven out through the entrance side.
Fig. Contamination of drilled holes and effect of cleaning
The surface at the entrance side is significantly contaminated with melt and condensed vapor.
In particular, the edges are covered with debris. In contrast, the exit side is hardly affected.
After the cleaning process both sides look smooth and shiny. This indicates that the ablated
material is just sticking on the edge and surface and the immediate environment around the
hole is not influenced by the laser process.
Fig: Laser
Drilled Injection Nozzle
Fig: Laser Drilled Filter
Advantages
1. High precision and accuracy
[Link] thermal damage and HAZ
[Link] to drill a wide range of materials
4. high aspect ratio of the holes can be produced
5. material ablation on a micrometer scale can be achieved
Disadvantages
1. Cost
2. Complexity
3. Limited Material Compatibility
4. Processing Speed
5. Surface Quality
Ultra short Pulsed Laser fine Cutting
Fig. Detail of Micro Gear
Fig. Microcuts in Stainless steel
In fine cutting with ultrashort pulsed laser radiation, the cut is created by removing material
layer by layer without thermally affecting edge areas. In this way, cuts can also be produced in
temperature-sensitive materials or in thin foils. Very high cut qualities can be achieved
without melting edges and low roughness values. fine cutting with the UKP laser allows a
cutting process with high precision, small edge radii and without microcracks in the
workpiece.
• Material thicknesses: typ. < 500 µm
• Edge radius: up to < 10 µm
Fig. Cut Edge of a Film
