The Influence of Technological Parameters on the Contrast of Copper Surfaces in the Laser Marking Process

This study examines the influence of key technological parameters-marking speed, raster step (Δx), pulse duration, power density, and effective energy-on the laser marking of copper using Yb-doped fiber and CuBr MOPA lasers. Two experimental setups were used: the fiber laser, with 100 ns and 200 ns pulses, and the CuBr laser with 30 ns pulses. Marking speed ranged from 10 to 80 mm/s, with raster steps from 3 to 20 µm for the fiber laser and 3 to 27 µm for the CuBr laser. The study compares different pulse durations and evaluates the impact of laser wavelength on the marking process. Optimal effective energy ranges were identified: 17.4-43.1 kJ/cm² for the Yb-doped fiber laser and 9.90-43.1 kJ/cm² for the CuBr laser. The originality of this work lies in its direct comparison of Yb-doped fiber and CuBr MOPA lasers for copper marking, alongside the simultaneous optimization of multiple parameters. The study provides novel guidelines for high-contrast copper marking, a material with known laser-processing challenges. The identified optimal energy ranges and process parameters can significantly improve the efficiency and quality of industrial copper marking applications.