Laser marking in detail
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Lasers are often categorized and named based on the properties of the laser medium used . The roughest classification is determined by the state of aggregation . An important gas laser , for example , is the CO 2 laser emitting at 10.6 μm . The group of solid-state lasers includes lasers whose laser media consist of crystals . One of the commonly used solid-state lasers is the Nd : YAG laser . Many options exist for the shape of the solid state , such as the rod laser , disk laser , and fiber laser .
The wavelength
Depending on the application , the selection of the wavelength and , with it , the laser type is crucial . Lasers with a wavelength of 10.6 µ m are mainly used to process non-metallic materials such as wood , leather , glass , or stone . Lasers with a wavelength of 1,064 nm are particularly suitable for contrast-rich markings on plastics , steel , and aluminum . The basis for this is the great depth effect of the 1,064 nm wavelength , among other things . In contrast , UV lasers emit a wavelength of just 355 nm and are suitable for marking particularly sensitive materials .
CO2-Laser 10,6 µ m
1 mm
Yb : YAG-Laser 1064 nm
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450 nm 500 nm
550 nm 600 nm
650 nm 700 nm
750 nm
1400 nm 3 µ m
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UV-Laser 355 nm
200 nm 280 nm
320 nm 400 nm
The fiber laser
A fiber laser is a special type of solid-state laser in which the doped core of a glass fiber forms the active medium . In other words , it involves a glass laser with fiber-optic properties . The laser beam , which is guided through the laser-active fiber , undergoes a very high amplification due to the large length . Fiber lasers also offer high electrical-to-optical efficiency , outstanding beam quality , and a long service life . The robust , compact , and low-maintenance design is also impressive .
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( 1 ) Pump radiation ( 2 ) Laser-active fiber ( 3 ) Laser beam
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The laser source
A pulsed ytterbium fiber laser feeds radiation from multiple pump laser diodes into a single-coupling optic . After exiting the central part of a glass fiber doped with ytterbium ions , the laser beam enters an optical fiber . A special optic then focuses the beam .
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( 1 ) Laser diodes ( 2 ) Single-coupling optic ( 3 ) Lens ( 4 ) Resonator ( 5 ) Active fiber ( 6 ) Laser beam
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