Printed circuit board processing with UV lasers

摘要

It is easy to dismiss a technology you can't see, but anyone working with circuit board applications would be mistaken to overlook ultraviolet lasers - one of the most versatile, efficient printed circuit board (PCB) processing technologies available. The beam from a laser generally provides a low-stress alternative to mechanical PCB processing methods such as milling or routing, but UV lasers provide an added benefit other laser sources do not, which is the ability to limit thermal stress. This is possible because most UV laser systems operate at low power levels. By utilizing a process sometimes known as "cold ablation," the beam from a UV laser produces a reduced heat-affected zone (HAZ) that minimizes burring, charring, and other negative effects of thermal stress normally associated with higher-powered lasers.