Georgia Tech IEN Laser Micro-machining Laboratory

The Georgia Tech IEN Laser Lab currently has 4 lasers that can modify a wide range of materials. The Georgia Tech IEN Optec Femtosecond Laser is an OPTEC WS-Flex USP system that uses a femtosecond laser to process practically any material through ultra-short laser pulses photo-ablation. The ultra-short laser pulse is effective on polymers, metal, ceramics, glass, single crystals, and polymorphic crystals. The Georgia Tech IEN Resonetics IR Laser is a Q-switched Nd:YLF laser that can be operated at two different wavelengths (1047 nm or 524 nm) with a beam size at approximately 50 microns at a pulse width of 180nS. Materials such as metals, PZT ceramics, permanent magnets, alumina, and silicon have been successfully micromachined and used in a wide range of applications. The Alabama UV laser has a 25um spot size at 355nm and can be used on silicon wafers, glass, ceramics, polymers and thin metals. The New Hermes CO2 laser has a 200um spot with the 2" lens and is used to cut organics like polymers, paper, leather, cloth and wood. It can etch glass, marble and stone.

OPTEC Femtosecond Laser Capabilities

• 1030nm Wavelength (nm) 221 fS minimum 28 pS maximum
• Machining head: Galvo scanner, fixed lens cutting head, and Infinite Field of View (IFOV)
• Laser type (pulse duration): picosecond, femtosecond
• Max. Scanner field: 20x20 mm
• Minimum Spot size: 6 µm for fixed head, 14µm for galvo head
• XY stages travel: 300x300 mm
• Submicron stages resolution
• Rotational head for tube processing
• Materials: metals, polymers, composites, glass...
• Class 1 laser system (fully interlocked)
• Can be used for:
  • Cutting
  • Milling
  • Drilling
  • Tube processing
  • Composite material cutting
  • Scribing
  • Surface structuring

Resonetics IR Laser Capabilities

• Laser wavelengths: 1064nm/524nm
• Beam size: 50 µm at 180ns
• Materials: metals, PZT ceramics, permanent magnets, alumina, and silicon
• Applications: Thin metal film machining, microneedles, interdigitated and planar metal designs, sintered multi-layer alumina devices, metal welding, silicon device trimming, and so on

Alabama UV Laser Capabilities

• Laser Wavelength: 355nm Wavelength
• 200mm X 200mm Scanning area
• Beam size: 25um
• Materials: Silicon, PCB, Glass, Thin metal, Ceramic and Polymer
• Applications: µ-via drilling, Glass Cutting & Drilling, Thin-film Scribing, Ceramic Processing, Flex PCB drilling & cutting, IC Package singulation, Silicon Wafer scribing, fine metal machining

New Hermes CO2 Capabilities

• Laser Wavelength: 10600um
• 12" (304mm) X 18" (457mm) Scanning area
• 200um spot size @ 2 Inches
• Materials: Organics, paper, polymers, wood, leather
• Applications: Cutting and scribing organic materials

What we offer

Training

We provide group and one-on-one trainings on any of these state-of-the-art equipment. However, we are currently developing a combination of remote and one-on-one trainings with social distancing, for the safety of our users and staff. 

Feasibility Studies

Our expert staff can carry out feasibility studies to determine whether our ultrashort pulsed laser micromachining technologies are advantageous over other technologies. Our feasibility studies are carried out as follows:

1. User provides us with detailed problem description, constraints, and desired outcome using the contact us form

2. User provides us with samples for testing (if necessary)

3. Samples are processed

4. Results are evaluated

5. Report is prepared and sent to user

6. User provides us with feedback

Laser Process Development

Due to the versatile nature of lasers, it can take weeks or even months to determine the best parameters for the desired outcome. In order to develop a laser process that will generate the desired results, various laser parameters must be tested. The challenges to the laser process development are:

• Heat sensitive materials could experience burning 
• Fragile materials may crack or be damaged from stress
• Debris from ablation could contaminate the surface
• Processing speed (depending on material)
• Reliability and replication of each operation 

The laser parameters that can be varied are pulse width, fluence, speed, and power.

Community (Paper Club)

 In the community, we have information on the various types of lasers and other equipment located in the IEN Micro-Machining Laser Lab including but not limited to equipment specifications, tool usage instructions, related processing information, and standard operating parameters for various materials on the tools, available in the Teams group. 

Additionally, we are implementing a “Paper Club” where we as a community, come together at least once a month to analyze and discuss a paper on laser micro-machining processes and techniques on various materials. We hope that this will not only increase our collective knowledge of laser micro-machining, it will also inspire innovative approaches to problems that arise while conducting research as well as novel applications of the lasers in our facility.

 If you are interested, you can join the IEN Micro-Machining Laser Lab Team on Microsoft Teams using this link. We are having our second Paper Club session on the paper titled “Drilling of Through Holes in Sapphire Using Femtosecond Laser Pulses”. The paper is available under the Files section of the IEN Micro-Machining Laser Lab Microsoft Teams Paper Club Channel. We would like to have a meeting to discuss this paper on Thursday, 08/06/2020.