Application of UV and ultrafast lasers
Release time：2025.09.12
Views：69Today we will discuss in detail the practical applications of ultraviolet (UV) lasers and ultrafast lasers. Although these two types of lasers is kind of overlapped (ultrafast lasers can be in the ultraviolet band), their unique characteristics (short wavelength vs. ultra short pulse) determine their respective application fields.
Application of UV Lasers
The core characteristic of ultraviolet laser is its short wavelength (usually<400 nm, commonly including 355nm, 266nm, 193nm, etc.), which means:
1). High photon energy: A single ultraviolet photon can break many chemical bonds in materials (such as molecular bonds in polymers and resins), thereby achieving "cold processing" or directly changing the chemical properties of materials.
2). Small diffraction limit: According to the principle of optical diffraction, the shorter the wavelength, the smaller the focused spot size, and the higher the processing accuracy.
3). Easy to be absorbed by most materials: Many materials have a much higher absorption rate of ultraviolet light than infrared and visible light, resulting in high processing efficiency and a small heat affected zone.
Main application areas:
1. PCB/FPC drilling and cutting: used for drilling micro holes (micro through holes, blind holes) on circuit boards, as well as cutting flexible circuit boards (FPC), with high precision and no burrs.
2. Glass and sapphire cutting and marking: The "cold" processing characteristics of ultraviolet laser can cleanly cut brittle materials and avoid cracks. Widely used for cutting and QR code marking of mobile phone screens, camera protective lenses, and watch covers.
3. Semiconductor wafer cutting: Using ultraviolet laser to cut grooves on the chip, replacing traditional diamond blades, is more suitable for ultra-thin and fragile wafers, which can greatly improve yield and efficiency.
4. Light curing (SLA/DLP): This is one of the most classic applications of ultraviolet lasers. The ultraviolet laser beam (or surface light source) accurately scans the surface of the liquid photosensitive resin, causing it to solidify layer by layer, ultimately forming a three-dimensional object. Used for rapid prototyping, dentistry, jewelry casting models, etc.
5. Photolithography technology: the core technology of semiconductor manufacturing. The use of deep ultraviolet (DUV, such as 193nm) or even extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources to project circuit patterns onto silicon wafers through complex optical systems is the foundation for manufacturing all modern chips.
Application of Ultrafast Lasers
The core characteristic of ultrafast lasers is extremely short pulses (usually ranging from picosecond ps to femtosecond fs, 1 picosecond=10 ⁻¹ ² seconds, 1 femtosecond=10 ⁻¹⁵ seconds), which means:
1). Extremely high peak power: Even if the energy of a single pulse is not high, it can instantly reach astonishing peak power (up to GW or even TW level) due to its extremely short duration.
2). Extremely short interaction time with matter: far smaller than the time scale of electron lattice thermal diffusion, energy is processed before it can diffuse out in the form of heat.
3). Nonlinear effects: Extremely high peak power density can trigger nonlinear processes such as multiphoton absorption, allowing some materials that are transparent to linear absorption, such as glass, to be processed.
Main application areas:
1. Internal processing of transparent materials: The nonlinear effect of ultrafast lasers enables selective modification, welding, engraving, and manufacturing of waveguides within transparent materials such as glass, sapphire, and crystals, while the surface remains intact. Applied to manufacturing 3D sensing modules, optical memory, microchannel chips, etc. for mobile phones.
2. Precision machining of medical equipment: Processing precision medical devices such as drug coated stents and pacemakers without thermal damage or slag.
3. Processing of brittle materials: Perfect cutting of glass, ceramics, diamonds, etc., with smooth edges and no broken edges.
4. Medical field: Precision ophthalmic surgery: Femtosecond laser replaces traditional mechanical knives for making corneal flaps in LASIK surgery, which is safer and more accurate. It can also be used to treat cataracts (femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery, FLACS).
5. Terahertz (THz) wave generation: Ultrafast lasers are the main means of generating and detecting terahertz radiation. Terahertz waves have great potential in non-destructive testing (such as security checks), material analysis, and high-speed communication.
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Trend Fusion: Many of the most advanced applications are actually a combination of ultraviolet and ultrafast, such as ultraviolet picosecond/femtosecond lasers, which possess high precision and photon energy at short wavelengths, as well as cold processing characteristics of ultra short pulses, demonstrating irreplaceable advantages in high-end semiconductor detection, ultra-fine microfabrication, and other fields.
In summary, ultraviolet lasers and ultrafast lasers are indispensable powerful tools in modern high-end manufacturing, cutting-edge scientific research, and precision medicine, constantly driving technological progress and industrial upgrading.
Application of UV Lasers
The core characteristic of ultraviolet laser is its short wavelength (usually<400 nm, commonly including 355nm, 266nm, 193nm, etc.), which means:
1). High photon energy: A single ultraviolet photon can break many chemical bonds in materials (such as molecular bonds in polymers and resins), thereby achieving "cold processing" or directly changing the chemical properties of materials.
2). Small diffraction limit: According to the principle of optical diffraction, the shorter the wavelength, the smaller the focused spot size, and the higher the processing accuracy.
3). Easy to be absorbed by most materials: Many materials have a much higher absorption rate of ultraviolet light than infrared and visible light, resulting in high processing efficiency and a small heat affected zone.
Main application areas:
1. PCB/FPC drilling and cutting: used for drilling micro holes (micro through holes, blind holes) on circuit boards, as well as cutting flexible circuit boards (FPC), with high precision and no burrs.
2. Glass and sapphire cutting and marking: The "cold" processing characteristics of ultraviolet laser can cleanly cut brittle materials and avoid cracks. Widely used for cutting and QR code marking of mobile phone screens, camera protective lenses, and watch covers.
3. Semiconductor wafer cutting: Using ultraviolet laser to cut grooves on the chip, replacing traditional diamond blades, is more suitable for ultra-thin and fragile wafers, which can greatly improve yield and efficiency.
4. Light curing (SLA/DLP): This is one of the most classic applications of ultraviolet lasers. The ultraviolet laser beam (or surface light source) accurately scans the surface of the liquid photosensitive resin, causing it to solidify layer by layer, ultimately forming a three-dimensional object. Used for rapid prototyping, dentistry, jewelry casting models, etc.
5. Photolithography technology: the core technology of semiconductor manufacturing. The use of deep ultraviolet (DUV, such as 193nm) or even extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources to project circuit patterns onto silicon wafers through complex optical systems is the foundation for manufacturing all modern chips.
Application of Ultrafast Lasers
The core characteristic of ultrafast lasers is extremely short pulses (usually ranging from picosecond ps to femtosecond fs, 1 picosecond=10 ⁻¹ ² seconds, 1 femtosecond=10 ⁻¹⁵ seconds), which means:
1). Extremely high peak power: Even if the energy of a single pulse is not high, it can instantly reach astonishing peak power (up to GW or even TW level) due to its extremely short duration.
2). Extremely short interaction time with matter: far smaller than the time scale of electron lattice thermal diffusion, energy is processed before it can diffuse out in the form of heat.
3). Nonlinear effects: Extremely high peak power density can trigger nonlinear processes such as multiphoton absorption, allowing some materials that are transparent to linear absorption, such as glass, to be processed.
Main application areas:
1. Internal processing of transparent materials: The nonlinear effect of ultrafast lasers enables selective modification, welding, engraving, and manufacturing of waveguides within transparent materials such as glass, sapphire, and crystals, while the surface remains intact. Applied to manufacturing 3D sensing modules, optical memory, microchannel chips, etc. for mobile phones.
2. Precision machining of medical equipment: Processing precision medical devices such as drug coated stents and pacemakers without thermal damage or slag.
3. Processing of brittle materials: Perfect cutting of glass, ceramics, diamonds, etc., with smooth edges and no broken edges.
4. Medical field: Precision ophthalmic surgery: Femtosecond laser replaces traditional mechanical knives for making corneal flaps in LASIK surgery, which is safer and more accurate. It can also be used to treat cataracts (femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery, FLACS).
5. Terahertz (THz) wave generation: Ultrafast lasers are the main means of generating and detecting terahertz radiation. Terahertz waves have great potential in non-destructive testing (such as security checks), material analysis, and high-speed communication.
________________________________________
Trend Fusion: Many of the most advanced applications are actually a combination of ultraviolet and ultrafast, such as ultraviolet picosecond/femtosecond lasers, which possess high precision and photon energy at short wavelengths, as well as cold processing characteristics of ultra short pulses, demonstrating irreplaceable advantages in high-end semiconductor detection, ultra-fine microfabrication, and other fields.
In summary, ultraviolet lasers and ultrafast lasers are indispensable powerful tools in modern high-end manufacturing, cutting-edge scientific research, and precision medicine, constantly driving technological progress and industrial upgrading.
