Laser microstructuring of sapphire wafer and fiber

Currently, sapphire is widely used in the field of optoelectronic devices and micro-mechanical components. One of the problems in using sapphire is the difficulty in cutting and micro-structuring due to the hardness of sapphire itself. In this paper, laser micromachining characteristics of sapphire are investigated using 157nm DUV laser micro-ablation system. Under laser fluence of 3-4 J/cm2, the maximum ablation rate could reach to 400nm/s. For 3D laser ablation, it is necessary to select a proper combination of process parameters. Several 3D micro-structures are produced in sapphire wafers and sapphire fibers. As a whole, the ablation equality is good for use.