Open AccessSapphire Cutting with Pulsed Fiber Lasers
Author(s) -
Rüttimann Christoph
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
laser technik journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1863-9119
pISSN - 1613-7728
DOI - 10.1002/latj.201400034
Subject(s) - sapphire , laser , materials science , ti:sapphire laser , fiber laser , process (computing) , optoelectronics , laser cutting , solid state , computer science , optics , engineering physics , engineering , wavelength , physics , operating system
Sapphire cutting is currently one of the largest emerging markets in laser materials processing. Sapphire is one of the hardest existing transparent materials. Its mechanical and optical properties made it the ideal and precious choice for various components like cover glasses of watches, displays of mobile devices, protection windows for cameras, or LED carriers. Sapphire cutting with solid state lasers ( e. g. lamp‐pumped solid state lasers) is well known since many years and has become a state‐of‐the‐art industrial process. However, achievable process speed and cut quality are limited, and running costs are relatively high. Recent advances in fiber laser, as well as short and ultra‐short pulsed laser technology have brought the sapphire cutting process to a new level of performance. Cutting speed and quality can be significantly improved at lower running costs.