Laser cutting ceramics with a Q-switched pulse CO{sub}2 laser

摘要

A mechanical chopper Q-switched CO{sub}2 pulse laser with high peak power, short pulse duration, high pulse repetition rate and moderate average power is developed. Using this laser, a cutting process of high cutting speed and multi-pass isproposed for cutting hard and brittle materials such as engineering ceramics. Crack-free and fine cut is obtained in cutting Si{sub}3N{sub}4 ceramics.