Copper

Copper is cut with q-switched or pulse excited Nd:YAG lasers with a high peak pulse power and optimum focussing. There are many applications for these in the area of microelectronics.

Q-switched lasers can be used to cut precisely through fine metal sheets up to 200 µm thick. In combination with galvanometer scanners, high cutting speeds can be achieved, independent of inertia in the part or its handling, even with the finest structures. This process works without an external supply of cutting gas, so it is ideal for cutting filigree structures. With pulse excited Nd:YAG lasers, the range of thickness of metal sheet that can be cut is extended to approx. 1.5 mm. Using oxygen as the high-pressure cutting gas, for instance, results in a cutting speed of over 40 mm per second in copper sheeting 0.5 mm thick.