Thermal ablation regulation for ultraviolet (UV) nanosecond laser precision cutting of polycarbonate (PC) film

• Published in: Optics and laser technology 2021-11, Vol.143, p.107365, Article 107365
• Main Authors: Wu, Congyi, Rong, Youmin, Yang, Ranwu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ablation; Cutting parameters; Cutting speed; Heat affected zone; Laser ablation; Laser beam cutting; Laser cutting; Lasers; Maximum power; Polycarbonate film; Polycarbonate resins; Precision manufacturing; Process parameters; Seams; Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 0030-3992; 1879-2545
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2021.107365

•Thermal ablation is the mechanism for UV nanosecond laser cutting of PC films.•Protections must be taken during the process to avoid inhalation hazardous gases.•Excellent cutting quality can be obtained by regulating laser ablation. With the refinement of polycarbonate (PC) film application, higher demands are placed on shape, dimensional accuracy, and cross-sectional quality of PC film. Ultraviolet (UV) nanosecond laser is one of the feasible methods for patterned precision cutting of PC films, but the cutting mechanism and the influence of process parameters on cutting quality have not deeply researched. Using UV nanosecond laser with maximum power of 3 W and 0.2 mm thick PC film, on the one hand, laser cutting mechanism was evaluated based on by-product composition analysis, and laser ablation in process path is the principle of UV-nanosecond laser cutting of PC film. On the other hand, influence of laser cutting process on cutting quality was analyzed by orthogonal experiments. When parameter combination was 0.1 W-40 mm/s-15 (laser power - cutting speed - number of cuts), a smaller cutting seam width (40.7 ± 1.2 μm) and heat-affected zone width (26.8 ± 0.8 μm) were obtained, and there was no obvious seam taper.