Excimer Laser 3D Machining Based on Irradiation Pulse Number Control

Abstract

Polymer materials are widely used in various applications nowadays because of their fine characteristics, light weight, easy to use for mass production, etc. In this study, authors tried to construct a 3-dimensional laser fabrication system which can make freely designed shape by controlling the scanning speed of laser beam. At first, characteristics of KrF excimer laser ablation process to PMMA were studied as preliminary research. In this step, from the results of theoretical simulations and actual machining experiments, it was found that the machining depth was proportional to pulse number of laser irradiation. Therefore, when laser frequency is constant, the pulse number and machining depth can be controlled by feed rate of laser beam on the surface of target materials. Based on this concept, a 3-dimensional fabrication system was constructed. It can machine free-formed surfaces of PMMA making use of ablation process by controlling feed speed of the beam. Finally, some primitive shapes were actually machined by the system. From evaluation of these shapes, the availability of proposed concept and the system were confirmed.

Keywords

• excimer laser
• 3d machining
• polymeric material
• pulse number control
• laser ablation