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Laser Micromachining
Laser micromachining is also known as Excimer laser micromachining due to the type of laser that is typically used. Excimer lasers produce relatively wide ultraviolet light beams which ionize and decompose materials during micromachining processes. Laser micromachining services such as microdrilling, micromilling and microcutting are used to micromachine components that are smaller than a micron, which is equal to one millionth of a meter. Used in industries such as medical, semiconductor, aeronautic and microelectronics, laser micromachining applications include conductive glass processing, 2D microstructure array machining and small feature patterning.
Laser micromachining services are generally for material machining and structural fabrication through an Excimer laser, a type of molecular gas laser. Excimer lasers are unique; instead of burning or vaporizing away materials like other lasers, Excimer lasers send out pulsations which remove material surface layers through ablation. Ablation is the irradiation of thin layers of a surface through a laser beam. The Excimer laser is precision controlled through a combination of CNC and CAD computer systems. A long list of materials that can be laser micromachined includes silicon, glass substrates, plastics, metals and polymer materials.
A cost-effective and relatively recent process, laser micromachining services are able to produce a greater complexity of shapes with less damage to the material than other comparable laser machining processes. Advancements in the process include the utilization of femtosecond lasers, which are much faster than nanosecond lasers. However, lasers in general are not very effective on metals such as aluminum and copper alloys due to their ability to reflect light as well as absorb and conduct heat. In addition, all lasers are potentially hazardous to a person's eyesight. Ultraviolet lasers, such as Excimer lasers, are even more dangerous because the "blink reflex" protects the eyes only if the light can be seen.
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