Georgia Tech IMS Laser Micro-machining Laboratory

The IMS Laser Micro-machining Laboratory was established in 2017. Over the past years, the laboratory’s laser equipment has undergone continuous upgrades and iterations, maintaining a leading position in the field of laser micromachining worldwide. Currently, we have one Alabama UV Ultrafast pulse laser and two advanced IR femtosecond laser systems: the WS-Flex and the LSV-Flex. Both were designed by Optec Laser, a company in Belgium that’s part of the LASEA Group. At the heart of each Optec Laser system is a Carbide femtosecond laser from Light Conversion in Lithuania. All systems are what we call “Enhanced Capability” platforms, meaning they can handle a wide range of applications—everything from 3D nano-printing in polymers, composite material processing, and metal cutting to glass and sapphire cutting, LED/electronics chip dicing, and even LCD and OLED repair.​

OPTEC#1 Femtosecond Laser Capabilities

• Introduction​

  The Georgia Tech Optec Femtosecond laser is an OPTEC WS-Flex USP system that uses a femtosecond laser to process practically any material through ultra-short laser pulses photo-ablation. The ultra-short laser pulse is effective on polymers, metal, ceramics, glass, single crystals, and polymorphic crystals. Materials are ionized by the laser pulse and removed from the surface in a plasma cloud, leaving a clean surface at the interaction site. Contrary to typical thermal laser operations, the femtosecond laser is not as sensitive to wavelength absorption and therefore offers minimum thermal, creating a no heat-affected zone on the part.​

  Key Features​

• 1030nm Wavelength​

• Galvo scanner, fixed lens, Tube cutting head, and Infinite Field of View ​

• Laser type (pulse duration): picosecond, femtosecond​

• Max. Scanner field: 20x20 mm​

• Minimum Spot size: 6 µm for fixed cutting head, 20µm for galvo head​

• XY stages travel: 300x300 mm​

• Submicron stages resolution​

• Class 1 laser system (fully interlocked)​

• Main Applications​

      Cutting​
      Milling​
      Drilling​
      Tube processing​
      Composite material cutting​
      Scribing​
      Surface structuring

OPTEC#2 Femtosecond Laser Capabilities

• 1030nm Wavelength​

• Galvo scanner​

• Bessel lens ​

• Infinite Field of View (IFOV)​

• Laser type (pulse duration): picosecond, femtosecond​

• Max. Scanner field: 26x26 mm    ​

• Minimum Spot size: 4 µm for Bessel head, 6µm for galvo head    ​

• XY stages travel: 300x300 mm    ​

• Submicron stages resolution    ​

• Class 1 laser system (fully interlocked)​

Alabama UV Laser Capabilities

• Introduction​

  The Georgia Tech Alabama UV laser is an Ultrafast pulsed laser designed to work on silicon wafers for the photovoltaic industry. It applies the Coherent AVIA series Q-switched 355 nm DPSS Laser. AVIA NX is ideal for applications such as via drilling in PCB and Flex materials, 3D chip package manufacturing, IC package trimming, and wafer scribing. The AVIA NX offers effortless ease of integration into laser-based tools through its small footprint and simplified interface. ​

  ​

  Key Features​

• 355nm wavelength​

• 70um spot size ​

• 200mm X 200mm scanning area ​

• high-speed scanning up to 1000mm/second​

• ​

  Main Applications​

  µ-via drilling​

  Glass Cutting & Drilling ​

  Thin-film Scribing ​

  Ceramic Processing ​

  Flex PCB drilling & cutting ​

  IC Package singulation ​

  Silicon Wafer scribing and cutting ​

  Fine metal machining ​

  It can be used on silicon wafers, glass, polymers, and thin metals.​

What we offer

Training

We provide group and one-on-one trainings on any of these state-of-the-art equipment. However, we are currently developing a combination of remote and one-on-one trainings with social distancing, for the safety of our users and staff. 

Feasibility Studies

Our expert staff can carry out feasibility studies to determine whether our ultrashort pulsed laser micromachining technologies are advantageous over other technologies. Our feasibility studies are carried out as follows:

1. User provides us with detailed problem description, constraints, and desired outcome using the contact us form

2. User provides us with samples for testing (if necessary)

3. Samples are processed

4. Results are evaluated

5. Report is prepared and sent to user

6. User provides us with feedback

Laser Process Development

Due to the versatile nature of lasers, it can take weeks or even months to determine the best parameters for the desired outcome. In order to develop a laser process that will generate the desired results, various laser parameters must be tested. The challenges to the laser process development are:

• Heat sensitive materials could experience burning 
• Fragile materials may crack or be damaged from stress
• Debris from ablation could contaminate the surface
• Processing speed (depending on material)
• Reliability and replication of each operation 

The laser parameters that can be varied are pulse width, fluence, speed, and power.

Community (Paper Club)

 In the community, we have information on the various types of lasers and other equipment located in the IEN Micro-Machining Laser Lab including but not limited to equipment specifications, tool usage instructions, related processing information, and standard operating parameters for various materials on the tools, available in the Teams group. 

Additionally, we are implementing a “Paper Club” where we as a community, come together at least once a month to analyze and discuss a paper on laser micro-machining processes and techniques on various materials. We hope that this will not only increase our collective knowledge of laser micro-machining, it will also inspire innovative approaches to problems that arise while conducting research as well as novel applications of the lasers in our facility.

 If you are interested, you can join the IMS Micro-Machining Laser Lab Team on Microsoft Teams using this link. We are having our second Paper Club session on the paper titled “Drilling of Through Holes in Sapphire Using Femtosecond Laser Pulses”. The paper is available under the Files section of the IEN Micro-Machining Laser Lab Microsoft Teams Paper Club Channel. We would like to have a meeting to discuss this paper on Thursday, 08/06/2020.