Industry News

This study demonstrates a high-efficiency, crack-free method for drilling high-aspect-ratio micro-holes in glass substrates using an infrared femtosecond laser equipped with GHz-burst technology. By employing a top-down percussion drilling strategy with a 1030 nm laser (50 pulses per burst at a 1 GHz intra-burst repetition rate), researchers achieved crack-free holes with aspect ratios exceeding 30 in soda-lime glass and up to 73 in fused silica. The process leverages the synergy of nonlinear absorption and localized thermal accumulation, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional laser drilling, such as micro-cracks and large heat-affected zones. The study further elucidates a three-stage physical mechanism—surface ablation, deep-hole ablation, and drilling termination—providing critical insights into the dynamics of glass micro-machining for advanced photonic and microelectronic applications.

This article provides a comprehensive technical guide on managing and minimizing thermal effects in laser processing. It explains core concepts such as the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), thermal relaxation time, and absorption rates. By identifying heat sources across three levels—source-level (wavelength mismatch), process-level (pulse accumulation), and path-level (scanning patterns)—it offers systematic solutions including optimizing optical configurations, selecting "colder" light sources (e.g., UV or ultrashort pulse lasers), and adjusting process logic through multi-pass strategies and auxiliary gases. Detailed parameter tables for various materials and a troubleshooting guide are included to help engineers achieve high-precision results with minimal thermal damage.

This study investigate the critical influence of wire feeding angle on the stability of droplet transition and process consistency in wire-laser additive manufacturing (WLAM). By employing a comprehensive fluid dynamics model, researchers analyzed the evolution of liquid bridge morphology and molten pool behavior across a range of wire feeding angles (25° to 65°). The findings reveal that increasing the wire feeding angle triggers a transition from a stable state, dominated by surface tension (at 25° and 45°), to an unstable state governed by inertia and gravity (at 65°). This instability is primarily caused by a mismatch between the melting rate and the wire feeding rate due to weakened heat transfer at larger angles. The study provides a theoretical framework for optimizing process parameters to ensure high fatigue performance and forming quality in complex geometric components for aerospace and automotive industries.

This research from Shanghai Jiao Tong University proposes a novel Fusiform Attention Network (FANet) for the real-time visual monitoring of penetration status in laser welding. By integrating Ternary Multi-head Linear Attention (TMLA), the model effectively aligns its receptive field with the physical geometry of the molten pool, balancing local detail extraction (spatter, plasma) with long-range morphological perception (molten pool length). The network achieves a high recognition accuracy of 93.24% with an end-to-end latency of only 5.41ms, meeting the stringent requirements for high-speed online industrial monitoring (100 FPS) and providing a robust solution for closed-loop quality control in automotive, aerospace, and shipbuilding industries.

This research systematically investigates the distinct microstructural evolution mechanisms of densified silica glass under high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) treatment and femtosecond laser direct writing (FLDW). While both techniques induce permanent densification and refractive index enhancement, they follow divergent structural reorganization paths. FLDW uniquely drives the glass network into a non-equilibrium state characterized by a high fictive temperature (1600–2000 K) and the formation of edge-sharing SiO4 tetrahedra (binary rings), leading to significant non-bridging oxygen (NBO) defects and unique photoluminescence responses. In contrast, HPHT densification primarily relies on the deformation of rigid unit modes without generating such localized bond-breaking defects. Supported by machine learning molecular dynamics simulations, these findings provide critical theoretical insights for the precision design of advanced photonic devices and integrated optoelectronic systems.

Professor Min Qiu’s research team at Westlake University has introduced a novel strategy for fabricating structural colors with high brightness, a wide color gamut, and high spatial resolution via ultrafast laser-induced oxidation. By constructing a Ti–TiO₂–Ti sandwich thin-film structure and utilizing picosecond laser pulses to precisely regulate the thickness of the nanoscale oxide layer, the team achieved vibrant and finely tunable physical colors.

This study developed a hybrid manufacturing method integrating nanosecond laser direct drilling and electroless copper plating for high-hardness and high-brittleness aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics. The effects of three atmospheres—air, water, and argon—on microhole quality were compared. The results show that microholes processed in an argon (Ar) atmosphere exhibit the optimal geometry, with a metallic aluminum content as high as 97.47% on the hole wall, which effectively induces a dense and uniform electroless copper plating layer. Ultimately, high-quality metallized microholes with a resistance as low as 7.35 mΩ were achieved, providing a reliable interconnection solution for high-density electronic packaging and heat dissipation substrates.

The article reviews the latest developments and future prospects of beam shaping technology in laser welding. It discusses how different beam morphologies—such as Gaussian, elliptical, flat-top, and dual-mode beams—control molten pool dynamics to reduce defects like porosity and spatter, especially in high-reflectivity materials like aluminum and copper.

This study introduces an in-situ monitoring method for laser processing based on specular reflection of the molten pool surface, enabling high-resolution observation and feature extraction of molten pool dynamics. By analyzing the molten pool surface, keyhole opening, and specular micro-region under varying laser powers, it identifies the specular micro-region as the most sensitive and representative parameter due to its strong periodic behavior linked to laser–keyhole interactions. The findings provide a novel approach for understanding energy transfer mechanisms and offer a reliable foundation for real-time monitoring and intelligent control in laser manufacturing processes.

This study demonstrates that high-speed spiral oscillation laser-arc hybrid welding combined with Er-Zr microalloyed filler effectively improves weld formation and mechanical performance in Al-Mg alloys. By optimizing oscillation parameters and suppressing Mg segregation through laser-induced stirring, the process achieves defect-free welding, refined microstructure, and enhanced strength and ductility, offering a highly efficient and cost-effective solution for medium-thick aluminum alloy welding in shipbuilding applications.

This study demonstrates that combining nitrogen shielding gas with a reduced laser spot size can effectively suppress humping and root sagging defects in high-speed laser welding of stainless steel foil. By stabilizing molten pool dynamics, reducing oxygen content, and optimizing surface tension gradients, the approach significantly improves weld quality and mechanical performance, achieving defect-free welding at higher speeds while providing a predictive model for process optimization.

This study explores the application of circular laser beam oscillation in narrow-gap welding of 5A06 aluminum alloy thick plates, demonstrating that oscillation significantly improves molten pool stability, modifies flow behavior, and enhances sidewall fusion. By combining experimental validation with numerical modeling, the research confirms that circular oscillation effectively suppresses lack-of-fusion defects, reduces plasma plume energy loss, and improves weld quality, providing a reliable solution for high-performance thick plate laser welding applications.