E-mobility is currently one of the fastest growing industries. Electric powered vehicles are driving emission free transportation and will consequently replace conventional combustion engine vehicles. The battery industry is a key enabler of the e-mobility sector, laser processing of battery materials has emerged as a promising processing tool for improving manufacturing flexibility and product reliability at a high throughput. The processing of cathode and anode battery foils is an example where laser cutting has reached a high level of maturity and is widely implemented in production lines. The industrial cutting requirements are quite varied based on design and battery chemistry. The challenges are to achieve the highest edge quality at the highest processing speeds. Cutting with cw-lasers often leads to a large heat affected zone, particularly for coated foils, whereas pulsed lasers can typically cut with superior quality. While most foils can be cut with adequate quality with optimized nanosecond lasers, some material combinations benefit from shorter pulses in the ultra-short pulse regime. This contribution gives a general overview about different challenges in battery foil cutting, as well as a comparison between different laser parameters like pulse duration and pulse energy levels. The influence of laser parameters, spot size and working field are discussed as well as the impact of cutting strategy (e.g. single-pass vs. multi-pass).
In laser drilling, one challenge is to achieve a high drilling quality in high aspect ratio drilling. Ultra-short pulsed lasers use different concepts like thin disks, fibers and rods. The slab technology is implemented because of their flexibility and characteristics. They bring together both advantages and deliver high pulse energies at high repetition rates. Materials with a thickness > 1.5 mm demand specialized optics handling the high power and pulse energies with adapted processing strategies, integrated in a machine setup. In this contribution, we focus on all the necessary components and strategies for drilling high precision holes with aspect ratios up to 1:40.
Ultrashort-pulse micromachining has found a rising number of applications in numerous industrial and scientific fields. Modern ultrafast lasers like the TruMicro series enable a high degree of pulse parameter flexibility. Yet, this flexibility also brings challenges for optimization due to complexity with respect to endless parameter combinations. Unique laser features such as a fast tunable pulse duration, MHz- and GHz-bursts offer the possibility to address several machining challenges depending on the application. Even for a single application, useful pulse parameters are generally related to the particular process phase. For example, high ablation rates are commonly in contrast to highest surface qualities. In this contribution we focus on applications that benefit from multi-step processes with advanced successive parameter sequences, enabled by fast and controlled intra-process pulse parameter switching. As a result, multiple samples are demonstrated where highest processing speeds are enabled in combination with superior qualities and various surface finishes. Besides an optimized temporal energy deposition for a variety of applications, benefits of ultrafast processing with shorter wavelength, position synchronized output and an integrated hollow-core fiber delivery are demonstrated.
In this contribution we focus on micro-machining of several materials in different processing regimes. The temporal energy deposition is influenced during operation on a femto- up to a microsecond timescale. Using an off-axis microscope, we present camera image sequences automatically obtained during the ablation process, capturing the surface changes during machining, and revealing spatially and temporally resolved developments. This aids in further process understanding such as parameter dependencies and critical process regimes (formation of unwanted surface morphologies). To optimize both productivity and quality, combined processes with successive parameter sequences are demonstrated, enabled by fast and controlled intra-process pulse parameter switching.
Within the last decade, ultrafast laser micromachining has found broad applications in a variety of scientific and industrial fields. Likewise, green technologies like E-mobility, photovoltaics or wind power plants have become essential in helping to protect our environment within the last years. Such advancements as well as improvements concerning other electronic devices are profiting from a continuous progress in semiconductor development. Hereby, among other wide-gap semiconductors, SiC is a key material for the production of many high power electronic devices due to its beneficial material properties. Compared to Si-based devices, electronic elements based on SiC enable higher voltages or an increase of general device efficiency. Since well-established production technologies for Si are often not directly transferrable to the machining of SiC, efficient and productive laser-based micromachining calls for extensive parameter studies prior to volume production. In this contribution, we show a comparison of ultra-short pulsed Si- and SiC-machining, as well as different benefits of highly flexible laser systems like the TruMicro series 2000. Choosing an optimized temporal energy deposition on a short- to ultra-short timescale can address a variety of machining aspects like ablation efficiency and surface quality. Using the unique features of the TruMicro series 2000, the temporal energy deposition can be influenced during operation on a femto- up to a microsecond timescale by tuning parameters such as the ultrashort pulse duration or employing bursts in the MHz- and GHz-regime. This enhanced flexibility leads to comprehensive and automated parameter studies that allow for next-generation process understanding.
Ultrashort pulse micromachining has found a rising number of applications in a variety of scientific and industrial fields. In order to address the growing field of applications, target materials and customer requirements, a high degree of pulse parameter flexibility and ease of integration is needed. The newest generation of the TruMicro Series 2000 delivers unique features such as fast tunable pulse duration, MHz- up to GHz-burst modes in combination with flexible Pulse on Demand and elevated average power of 100W for improved productivity scaling. Three available wavelengths (343nm, 515nm, 1030nm), an integrated hollow-core fiber interface, as well as a new advanced ultrashort pulse laser control, all combined into a new one box optomechanical design with identical interfaces and dimensions opens new paths for cutting-edge applications. The improved flexibility enables fast (<800ms) and controlled (without affecting beam pointing or energy stability) tuning of pulse parameters such as pulse duration, pulse energy, pulse frequency, QCW-mode and pulse spacing up to GHz-bursts (patent pending technology). Inter- as well as intra-process parameter switching offers advanced successive parameter sequences for tailored machining. Combined processes are demonstrated that optimize both productivity (ablation rate) and quality (surface roughness, color, gloss etc.) for ablation of various metals, semiconductors and ceramics by choosing suitable timescales for energy deposition. Automated parameter studies are shown to quickly generate quantitative surface quality characteristics and foster in-depth process understanding depending on pulse parameters. Furthermore, the latest benefits for ultrafast processing employing position synchronized output and the integrated hollow-core fiber delivery with TruMicro Series 2000 are demonstrated.
Ultrashort laser pulses in the deep ultraviolet (DUV) based on nonlinear-optical conversion of NIR solid state sources promise advantages for the machining of wide-bandgap materials such as compound semiconductors like indium / aluminum / gallium nitride (InAlGaN, AlN, GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), zinc sulfide (ZnS), or boron nitride (BN). We present systems providing few-picosecond pulses at 257.5 nm with high average power exceeding 20 W of DUV obtained by frequency quadrupling of our proven TruMicro Series of industrial ultrafast amplifiers. High beam quality and decent lifetime of the DUV optics are demonstrated.
The industrial maturity of ultrashort pulsed lasers has triggered the development of a plethora of material processing strategies. Recently, the combination of these remarkable temporal pulse properties with advanced structured light concepts has led to breakthroughs in the development of laser application methods, which will now gradually reach industrial environments. We review the efficient generation of customized focus distributions from the near-infrared down to the deep ultraviolet, e.g., based on nondiffracting beams and three-dimensional-beam splitters, and demonstrate their impact for micro- and nanomachining of a wide range of materials. In the beam shaping concepts presented, special attention was paid to suitability for both high energies and high powers.
Industrial ultrafast lasers such as TRUMPF’s TruMicro Series are indispensable tools in many precision machining processes. Large 24/7 applications range from machining of sapphire or glass to ceramics, polymers, and metals in industries from the automotive sector to consumer electronics. In typical installations such pico- and femtosecond lasers currently operate at average power levels up to 150 W, often with nonlinear frequency conversion to the visible or UV. Based on the advanced amplifier technology pioneered by AMPHOS we introduce our new hybrid fiber–InnoSlab amplifier generation TruMicro Series 6000, capable of producing the highest average power at utmost flexibility and reliability.
Ultrafast micromachining has found broad applications in a variety of scientific and industrial fields. Different materials and competing customer requirements (surface quality vs. processing speed vs. surface structure etc.) call for parameter studies prior to volume production as well as pulse parameter flexibility during operation. Up to now, often a nonoptimized point of operation for either best speed or quality had to be chosen due to limited laser source flexibility. TruMicro Series 2000 introduces true inter- and intra-process flexibility for pulse parameters such as pulse duration, pulse energy and pulse spacing up to GHz bursts. As of now, switching the pulse duration is possible within 300 fs and 20 ps in less than 600 ms without affecting beam pointing or energy stability. Therefore, intra-process pulse parameter changes allow maximization of the ablation-volume efficiency in one step and surface-quality optimization in a second, finalizing step. Additionally, inter-process pulse parameter changes enable material changes in between workpieces. In this contribution, we show how this novel flexibility for the first time leads to comprehensive and automated parameter studies that allow for next-generation process understanding and the clear selection of enhanced points of operation. We demonstrate how ablation of various materials can be increased by employing bursts on a nanosecond timescale where a simple increase in fluence would result in cone-like protrusions. Choosing the suitable timescale for energy deposition can either maximize energy efficiency of ablation or optimize ablation quality. With the TruMicro Series 2000, both optima can be combined to one efficient, high-quality process.
Drilling processes by ultrashort laser pulses meet the demand for high-end applications in the display and electronics industry. Especially the manufacturing of microstructures requires highest accuracy and minimal damage of the workpiece. A variety of applications, like the production of blind holes in multi-layer stacks or through holes in metal foils demand specific processing constraints. For example, applications like fine metal mask (FMM) require exact rectangular hole shape as well as tailored taper angles and minimized residual particle contamination. In large scale production environments, the total throughput also becomes decisive. To achieve these challenging needs, the spatial and temporal energy deposition are crucial parameters. In this context, beam shaping offers unique potential for controlling and scaling these micromachining processes. To pursue this approach, we present a novel adaptive beam shaping setup combined with a flexible TRUMPF TruMicro femtosecond laser. Our investigations target percussion drilling applications with various intensity distributions. We discuss methods for process optimization by controlling the spatial and temporal energy deposition. This enables us to analyze the correlation between micromachining results and the tailored absorption. Our investigations aim on shaping several beam properties like phase, amplitude, polarization and propagation characteristics using a liquid-crystal-on-silicon-spatial-light-modulator (LCOS-SLM). By correcting aberrations with a closed-loop setup, we generate robust process specific top-hat like intensity distributions.
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