Efficient surface polishing using burst and biburst mode ultrafast laser irradiation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Laser Physics
• Surface Engineering

Background:

• Laser micromachining offers versatile applications, enabling both milling and polishing with a single system.
• Advanced laser systems utilize high optical power and burst regimes for enhanced material processing.
• Burst regimes provide optimal fluence control and efficient heat management for improved laser-matter interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the impact of different burst regimes (MHz, GHz, bibursts) on surface polishing of copper and stainless steel.
• Determine the optimal number of sub-pulses within a burst for minimizing surface roughness.
• Advance the understanding of laser-induced surface modifications for precision engineering.

Main Methods:

• Utilized state-of-the-art laser systems with high average optical power and burst capabilities.
• Conducted Z-scan experiments to analyze laser-material interactions.
• Performed surface roughness measurements on polished copper and stainless-steel samples.

Main Results:

• Identified specific burst parameters that significantly enhance surface polishing quality.
• Established a correlation between sub-pulse count within bursts and resulting surface roughness.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of burst regimes in achieving superior surface finishes.

Conclusions:

• Laser micromachining with optimized burst regimes offers a precise method for surface polishing.
• The number of sub-pulses in a burst is a critical parameter for controlling surface quality.
• This research provides valuable insights for advanced laser-based material processing techniques.