Laser processing inside transparent materials: dependence on pulse length and wavelength

In this paper processing of transparent materials by laser radiation from various sources with short (nanoseconds) and ultrashort (femtoseconds) pulse lengths at different wavelengths is discussed. The investigations were carried out with a short pulse Nd:YVO(4) laser (1064 nm, 532 nm) and a high repetition rate femtosecond fiber laser (1030 nm). In our experiments the laser beam was guided across the probe either through the motion of a coordinate table or through a laser scanner with an f-theta-objective. In our study we investigated in detail the influence of important process parameters like wavelength, pulse width, and irradiation regime upon micro defect generation inside bulk glass (BK glass, fused silica) and polymers (polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, cyclo-olefin-copolymers). By applying an irradiation regime with optimal process parameters these locally confined material defects can be aligned as to yield cut surfaces for the excision of 3d parts that consist of transparent material with bulk properties. Especially for the production of irregularly shaped 3d parts a CAD-CAM software tool was developed that automatically converts geometry data into a processing program.