Glass and Ceramics
The picosecond laser systems are particularly suitable for processing glass and ceramics.
Laser made in Germany
The development and production of our laser systems and the CEPHEUS laser beam source is located exclusively in Germany.
Our experts have more than two decades of experience in the field of sophisticated laser applications.
Laser processing of glass and ceramics
- Glass and ceramics are versatile materials that can be used in a wide range of industries. Classic areas of application for glass can be found in electronics, medical technology and semiconductor technology. Ceramic materials are also used in the electronics and chemical industries as well as in medical technology.
Industry requirements
- Glass and ceramics are very difficult to machine due to their high hardness and porous properties. Mechanical impact or high thermal energy applied can quickly lead to microcracks in the material or breakage of the material. It is therefore very important to process these materials very gently, depending on the area of application.
Process requirements
- The picosecond laser systems from PHOTON ENERGY GmbH are particularly suitable for processing glass and ceramics due to the possibility of cold processing. As the characteristics of glass and ceramic materials depend not only on the base material but also heavily on the manufacturing process, the processing can differ significantly. The processing parameters are therefore specially adapted to the respective material type.
Applications
Laser marking in medical technology
Qualitätssicherung und Plagiatsschutz von Medizinischen Produkten.
Glass opens up possibilities as an information carrier. In addition to QR codes, data matrix codes (DMC) can also be lasered onto glass. The DMC is a two-dimensional barcode that encodes a considerable amount of information on a minimal surface area.
The standardized DMC is used, among other things, for UDI-compliant (Unique Device Identification) marking of medical technology products.
DMCs are also used in the electronics and automotive industries.
They are used for traceability to ensure consumer safety, quality assurance and to combat counterfeiting (protection against plagiarism).
Creating a DMC using laser technology offers the advantage of durability and abrasion resistance. A laser is particularly suitable for applying DMCs to glass. Ultra-short pulse laser.
Surface marking
The operating parameters for marking glass depend on the type of glass used. Typical types of window glass, lead crystal glass and many types of optical glass can be marked very well with the CEPHEUS ultrashort pulse laser.
Interior glass marking
This type of processing makes it possible to mark very close to the surface without damaging it. Highly transparent materials such as quartz can also be marked at high speed
Laser cutting of display glass
Glass as display glass for smartphones and tablets
Glass can come in various forms. Thanks to constant technological advances, thinner and harder glass can now be produced.
These properties make glass extremely suitable as a screen material for smartphones and tablets.
However, the advantages mean that the processing of display glass is becoming increasingly complex. Clean mechanical breaking or cutting methods are hardly possible.
A simple alternative is the use of Ultra-short pulse lasers in question.
This laser technology enables display glass to be cut without any thermal or mechanical impact.
This means that clean cut edges without microcracks can be produced, avoiding costly post-processing steps.
Laser marking of ceramics
Permanent marking for ceramic implants and joint replacements
As the characteristics of ceramic materials depend not only on the base material but also heavily on the manufacturing process, processing can differ significantly.
The processing parameters are therefore specially adapted to the corresponding material. Almost all ceramics can be engraved with our lasers. Both the good beam quality and the ultra-short pulses of our ps lasers enable stress-free processing with minimal heat input.
Depending on the material composition, marking can also be achieved on a variety of different ceramics by means of color change.
Drilling
Laser drilling of ceramic substrates for electronics - precise and gentle on materials
Microscopic holes can also be drilled in ceramics in a similar way, as can be seen in this illustration. Processing with our Picosecond laser produces smooth cutting edges without fractures or micro-cracks. It is also possible to create complex geometries through selective removal, which are characterized by a high degree of dimensional accuracy and edge quality.
Flexible laser marking systems
Individual customer solutions
Do you need a customized solution for your application?
Our experienced development department is able to develop customer-specific solutions in the fields of optics, mechanics, electronics and software.