Efficient surface polishing using burst and biburst mode ultrafast laser irradiation

Abstract

The use of laser irradiation for micromachining is widely applicable and has many benefits. One of the main uses is that it is possible to mill and polish the sample using the same laser system. State-of-the-art laser systems with high average optical power and burst regimes are widely used in technology. The main advantages of burst regimes are the closer fluence values to optimal fluences and residual heat reusage for subsequent pulses. In this study, the influence of MHz burst, GHz burst, and bibursts was investigated for significant surface polishing of copper and stainless-steel samples. Z-scan experiments were performed to determine the optimal number of sub-pulses inside the burst for the lowest surface roughness.