Material Processing & Surface Modification Lasers

What are Material Processing & Surface Modification Lasers?

Material Processing lasers are advanced tools that utilize the power of focused laser light (typically pulsed) to modify and transform various types of materials. Material processing lasers can perform tasks such as cutting, engraving, drilling, marking, micromachining, and non-thermal ablation with precision and efficiency. The versatility and high degree of control offered by these lasers make them indispensable tools for achieving intricate and complex material alterations, contributing to advancements in technology and enhancing industrial processes.

Surface Modification lasers are specialized tools used to alter the properties and characteristics of various materials at the surface level, typically utilizing pulsed lasers. These lasers utilize precise energy deposition to induce physical or chemical changes in the targeted material, resulting in desired modifications. There are several techniques employed in surface modification and treatment, each with its own laser system and methodology. Some common examples include texturing, peening, and marking applications.

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Material Processing & Surface Modification Laser Applications

Cutting/Drilling Lasers: Laser cutting and drilling is a process in which q-switched lasers (typically high power, ns pulsed) are used to thermally ablate material to form holes and cuts in various materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, and more. In both laser cutting and drilling the primary objective is to remove material, and as such, the vaporized material must be allowed to outgas, so that is don’t interfere with the process allowing for precise cuts.

Micromachining Lasers: Laser micromachining is a collection of processes involving sub-millimeter machining of small parts or features on a material using precise and controlled techniques. This subtractive (material removal) process typically involves using specialized micromachining lasers (typically ps or fs pulsed, UV green & IR) to cut, drill, ablate, or otherwise shape materials with accuracy and precision.

Non-Thermal Ablation Lasers: Non-thermal ablation, often performed using ultrafast lasers, is an advanced method employed to remove material with exceptional precision and minimal heat-induced damage. This technique relies on ultra-short laser pulses (typically ps or fs pulsed) which deliver an intense burst of energy in a fraction of a second, removing material through non-thermal or cold ablation.

Thin Film Removal Lasers: Laser thin film removal is the process of selectively ablating a very thin layer of material from a substrate, and is widely used on silicon, glass, ceramics, plastics, and metals. These lasers are generally short-pulsed (typically fs, ps or even ns pulsed UV green & IR, high quality TEM00 beam) with the ability to operate at high repetition rates to allow for sufficient pulse overlap at high processing speeds without damaging the substrate.

Marking Lasers: Laser marking is a process of creating permanent marks or patterns on a material’s surface using laser technology. Unlike traditional marking methods like ink printing or engraving, laser marking offers advantages such as high precision, durability, non-contact processing, and the ability to mark a wide range of materials. Laser marking lasers are specifically designed lasers used for the marking process (typically ns or ps pulsed q-switched).

Texturing Lasers: Laser texturing involves engraving the negative image of an intricate design into a mold to produce an end product with a raised decorative patterned surface, allowing molded parts to mimic the look of leather, wood, and other materials. Laser engraving (typically ns or ps pulsed with high quality TEM00 beam) the interior of the mold instead of chemically etching it eliminates the need for hazardous, corrosive chemicals and allows for a completely digitized process.

Recommended Laser Series

We recommend the following laser series for Material Processing & Surface Modification applications. There can often be a ton of options and many variables. Contact us today for help finding the perfect laser for your specific application!

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Halite 2 Series

The Halite 2 series is a compact, single-box, all-fiber femtosecond laser designed to meet the most demanding applications in neuroscience, biophotonics, microscopy, and engineering. With pulses as short as <250 fs (< 100 fs op.), average power over 2 W at 1030 nm, and the option of second harmonic at 515 nm, it is an irreplaceable tool in every lab that needs a reliable, turn-key, ultrafast light source. Thanks to its unique construction and SESAM-free technology, it is a cost-effective solution that provides high pulse energy (over 100 nJ), excellent beam quality, and easy integration.

Jasper Series

The Jasper series is a diverse set of high-performance femtosecond fiber lasers providing different solutions based on a standard technology. The series includes the high-power Jasper X0 (200 µJ pulse energy / 60 W average power), the compact Jasper Micro (5 µJ pulse energy / 7 W average power) in a space-saving design, and the Jasper Flex for microprocessing (30 µJ pulse energy). Each model provides a fast warm-up time, long-term stability, and hands-free operation. Whether you need high power, compactness, or specific processing capabilities, the Jasper series has a solution.

Jenlas Fiber ns

The JenLas Fiber ns series is a versatile line of fiber lasers designed for OEM integrators, researchers, and applications specialists working with material processing applications. Available in 20, 30, 55, and 100W power configurations, this air-cooled laser series boasts reliable, industry-tested fiber laser technology and an adjustable pulse length. With pulse duration settings ranging from 50 to 200 nanoseconds and peak pulse powers of up to 8kW, this series offers improved performance and extended control capabilities, allowing for pulse repetition rates and pulse lengths to be changed by choosing different modes. The JenLas Fiber ns series is available with a complete set of customizable accessories, including laser controllers, beam expanders, and air or water cooling. 

Lampo Series

Image of a modern OEM laser housing made of high-grade aluminum, long silver rectangle body with fan slits, output window and stickersThe Lampo Series is a line of compact ultrafast lasers that deliver megawatt-level ps laser pulses at a selectable PRR from 50 kHz to 4 MHz. Available in IR (1064 nm), SHG (532 nm), and Deep-UV (266 nm) versions, the series offers pulse durations < 70 ps and average power up to 20W, 10W, and 1.5W respectively. With pulse energy up to 250uJ, 150uJ, and 30uJ, these lasers are ideal for a wide range of scientific, industrial, defense, medical, biological, and LIDAR applications. Built into a rugged, air-cooled single-unit laser head, these lasers are easy to operate and integrate, making them a valuable tool for sophisticated laser systems and lab applications.

MicroMake Series

The MicroMake Series is a fully-integrated, compact, sub-ns DPSS laser micromachining system for high precision and resolution applications. A flexible platform at 532 & 266 nm, with >40 kW of peak power and processing speeds up to 100mm/second, the system includes all the needed devices for direct laser micro-processing in a single, monolithic, air-cooled configuration. Equipped with a live microscope, alignments and in-process quality checks are a breeze. All these features perfectly suit various materials utilized in microelectronic circuits, displays fabrication and correction, biomedical device machining and optical substrates microprocessing.

neoMOS Series

neoMOS 700fsThe neoMOS ultrashort pulse laser series is a reliable, low-maintenance system designed for 24/7 industrial use. The ultra-compact laser head has the smallest footprint available and can be customized for a range of laser parameters, allowing easy integration and flexibility with various demanding processing applications, including glasses and plastics. It offers pulse widths from 700fs to 70ps, repetition rates from single-shot to 80MHz, up to 500µJ pulse energy, average output powers up to 100W, multi-megawatt peak powers, and perfect TEM00 beam quality @ 1064nm.

neoAMP Series

neoVAN - DPSS Amplifier The neoAMP series includes the neoVAN and neoYb DPSS laser amplifiers, designed to boost the average power or pulse energy for various applications. The flexible system design ensures high scalability, and the ultra-compact modules are easy to integrate into existing processing or scientific systems. The neoVAN and neoYb amplifiers are highly reliable and offer proven long-term stability, enabling a range of applications that include high peak power, short pulse picosecond lasers for micromachining, or single-frequency radiation for gravitational wave detection.

Nps Series

image of a sleek tunable laser platform

The NPS series of ultrafast lasers is the ultimate solution for OEM integrators and researchers working with nonlinear optics applications like OPO pumping and narrowband Raman spectroscopy. The NPS series boasts remarkable features such as up to 10W average output power, <7ps pulse width, and a 40MHz repetition rate. The transform-limited operation, with a spectral width of <0.3nm, and accurate central wavelengths make these lasers a suitable candidate for highly efficient amplification by Nd-doped DPSS amplifiers.

Onda Series

Onda 532nm: 532nm High Energy Laser

The Onda series is a DPSS nanosecond OEM laser platform designed for high-end applications requiring excellent beam quality and high peak power in materials such as metals, glass, plastics, and various delicate and hard materials. This compact and easy to use laser series is available in wavelengths of 266, 355, 532, and 1064nm, with an extended operating temperature range and superior performance to cost ratio. The Onda seriesinternal optical layout and accurate temperature management enable high output energies without compromising the lifetime of the THG and FHG stages. 

One Series

One-1030-100: 1030nm Miniature Q-Switched Laser

The One Series is a versatile, passive q-switch laser series designed for OEM integrators and application specialists working with industrial and portable applications like materials processing and airborne LIDAR. With its compact size, configurable options such as fixed or external trig. repetition rate, and high energy (up to 100µJ) or high average power (up to 3W) versions, this 1030nm series offers exceptional performance for a range of applications.

Microchip Series

Bright Microlaser Microchip SB1 Laser

The Microchip series is a line of ultra-compact, single longitudinal mode (SLM), narrow linewidth, passive q-switch, ns/ps pulsed DPSS lasers. Offering exceptional performance and versatility in a compact form factor, every model is 1:1 interchangeable, regardless of wavelength. The lasers feature pulse widths from 400 ps to 2 ns, pulse energy up to 80 µJ, and repetition rates up to 100 kHz. Available in wavelengths from the UV to the NIR, this series is designed for LIDAR, 3D scanning, LIBS, night vision, and more.

SOL Series

SOL-03-532: 532nm Nanosecond Laser

The SOL series is the most compact, air-cooled, Q-switched DPSS nanosecond laser available in the power range from 4W to 40W @ 1064nm. With its excellent beam quality, high peak power, wavelength options (10W and 650µJ at 532nm / 4W @ 355nm), and wide range of add-ons, this series is ideal for the most demanding industrial and scientific applications. With a rugged, compact, lightweight, and easy-to-use single-unit design, the SOL laser is easy to integrate into any system, providing superior operational flexibility and performance/cost ratio.

VaryDisk Series

The VaryDisk Series is a versatile family of thin-disk laser systems that provide high pulse energies at high average powers and are suitable for lab or industrial use. These thin-disk regenerative amplifiers offer a range of output specifications to fit various application needs. The base configurations provide 25 W average power with 2.5 mJ pulse energy @ 343 nm (THG), 50 W and 5 mJ @ 515 nm (SHG), and 100W and 100 mJ @ 1030 nm.

Wedge Series

Wedge-XF-1064: 1064nm Picosecond Laser

The Wedge series of DPSS lasers is designed for OEM applications such as micromachining, LIDAR, LIBS, and more. Based on proprietary fast Q-switching technology, this series is compact, sealed, and monolithic, making them insensitive to vibrations & harsh environments. High peak powers, relatively low energy and low heat generation allow efficient ablation and non-linear interaction. Available from 266-3106nm, up to 8 mJ pulse energy @ 1064, the compact and lightweight package benefits LIDAR and aerospace applications, while short pulses provide exact time-of-flight measurements.