A laser micromachining system is generally comprised of a laser, a protective structure, a beam delivery system, a visible monitoring system, a motion system, and a parts handling system.  Micromachining systems come in many different configurations for many different applications.  The following graphic details some of the variety available.

Lasers, such as excimer lasers and frequency-tripled or – quadrupled Nd:YAG lasers are used for a variety of precision machining operations and are particularly well-suited for micromachining of polymer materials or the marking of difficult materials such as diamonds.  Infra Red lasers such as CO² and YAG tend to be used for high-speed metal cutting applications. 

Wavelength conversion of many near infrared lasers can be accomplished by passing their light through appropriate nonlinear optical crystals like lithium niobate or beta barium borate.  The third and fourth harmonic wavelengths of lasers in the neodymium family – Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, and Nd:YVO₄ – are in the ultraviolet, near 355 nm and 266 nm.  Wavelength conversion is a two-step process in which infrared light is converted to green wavelengths followed by conversion of green light to ultraviolet wavelengths.  Since wavelength conversion requires additional optical components and conversion efficiency is typically 10 – 20%, ultraviolet light produced by wavelength conversion is significantly more expensive to generate than light at the fundamental wavelength.  On a cost per watt basis, excimer light also is substantially more expensive than CO₂ or Nd:YAG light.  Consequently, industrially viable UV laser cutting applications tend to be those in which in which UV light produces a better quality of cut or allows production of finer detail.

High-repetition-rate UV lasers are normally used in “direct-write” configuration in which the sharply focused beam is rapidly moved over the worksurface to generate hole arrays or cut complex patterns.   Beam delivery and motion system configurations are often similar to those used with CO₂ or Nd:YAG lasers.  Moving optics, moving workpiece, and hybrid systems all can be used to generate relative motion between the beam and the workpiece.  UV-transmitting optical fibers are seldom used for transmitting the light from the laser source to the focus head because of their tendency toward color center generation and optical damage. 

TeoSys Systems

TeoSys designs and manufactures many laser micromachining systems for various applications.  A laser micromachining system is comprised of a laser, a beam delivery system, a visible monitoring system, a micron-level precision motion system, a parts handling system and a vibration isolated protective structure.

The software interface is custom for each application however, is based on a core set of modules that includes common functionality.   Each interface has a live video display, measurement tools and motion programming capability in common.  More information on the software.

The software interface provides all of the flexibility necessary to allow micromachinists to easily configure different jobs and applications.

TeoSys offers Laser Gas Cabinets specially designed for our micromachining systems.

TeoSys offers custom Fixture Design for all of our laser systems.

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