Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HIPERDIAS (HIgh throughPut LasER processing of DIamond and Silicon)

Teaser

Micromachining is a strategic technology for many European manufacturers and the continuous challenge of competition is driving research and innovation efforts into technologies and solutions that will deliver higher productivity at lower cost in many industries. In parallel...

Summary

Micromachining is a strategic technology for many European manufacturers and the continuous challenge of competition is driving research and innovation efforts into technologies and solutions that will deliver higher productivity at lower cost in many industries. In parallel, the explosive progress in ultra-short pulse (USP) laser and photonic technology has afforded an opportunity for rapid acceleration of the rate of adoption of laser micromachining. HIPERDIAS will demonstrate USP laser-based material processing at unprecedented (high-throughput) levels of productivity and precision. The challenge is not only to achieve high productivity at moderate levels of precision or highest quality at low speeds, but to reach both targets at the same time. Several prerequisites have to be fulfilled to be able to accomplish this goal. First of all, an adequate femtosecond laser source with a very high average power and well-adapted beam parameters, including pulse duration, pulse energy, intensity profile, and polarization, is needed. This includes the flexible beam delivery, which will be addressed by the Kagomé fibers and allows maintaining the above given laser beam properties. Additionally, the laser beam has to be applied to the work-piece in a well-defined application-specific manner. For example, the beam has to be split (e.g. by a diffractive element) or moved rapidly (e.g. by a scanner or ultrafast modulators) to avoid heat accumulation which will degrade processing quality. Finally, advanced processing strategies are required to obtain optimum results at high productivity.

HIPERDIAS is strongly user-driven in order to demonstrate industrial relevance of laser micromachining at two major reference sites targeting the displacement of the current state of the art mechanical processes with 3D laser processing of silicon, fine cutting of metals and ablation of diamond respectively.

The following primary objectives will be targeted:
• Highly flexible high-power and high-efficiency femtosecond laser source with average output power of up to 1000 W at the megahertz (MHz) including flexible fiber beam delivery.
• Cost-efficient solutions (power scaling, pulse compression & fiber transport) for a broad range of applications
• Optimization of demanding high-volume applications regarding efficiency as well as quality
Three attractive applications shall be investigated to demonstrate the high-throughput laser-based manufacturing:
• 3D silicon structuring at high-speed
• Precision processing of diamond material
• Fine cutting of metal for the watch and the medical industry

Work performed

In the first period of the project work has progressed well in all work packages, with good collaboration and communication being established as a basis of the project work.

Work is focused on three main applications, and a requirements analysis has been completed for each with the major process and system specifications defined. Key Performance Indicators have been established with the end-users within the consortium.

In WP1 all partners contributed to work to establish the technical fundamentals for the design of the laser machining systems to be developed within HIPERDIAS; WP1 is complete at the end of Reporting Period 1.
WP2 has started well, with average ablation rates of up to 2.5 mm³/kJ achieved during Si Processing; this represents an increase in processing speed of up to 5 times. Work will continue to increase this further during the rest of the project lifecycle.
WP2 was also able to demonstrate successful cutting of metals with a thickness of 0.12 mm up to 0.25 mm. Diamond ablation tests were also performed with various fluences, investigating the removal rate and surface quality.
WP3 and WP4 have worked together closely to focus on the creation of a robust Beam Delivery System and the generation of femtosecond pulses, their temporal manipulation and modulation, and amplification. The first seed laser prototype has been delivered and installed at USTUTT. Furthermore, the first generation of grating compressors have been realized. Up to 99% efficiency could be achieved. Selected grating compressors have been selected in order to be tested in the pre-amplifier developed at AMP.
In WP5 work has started on the assembly and qualification of the thin-disk booster in order to achieve 500W of output power at a pulse duration of sub-500fs and a repetition rate of 1.25Mhz
In WP6 information has been exchanged between the laser manufacturer and the end-users to define the required interfaces from all involved partners. This includes the interfaces for the mechanical and optical components, as well as electronics and user control interface.

Main results achieved in the first period of the HIPERDIAS project:
• Completed first design of the grating compressors
• The first grating mirrors have been fabricated and spectroscopically characterized
• Completion of first prototypes of PMC module for fiber beam delivery
• Establish the specification for laser parameters
• 50 W pre-amplifier system delivered for further amplification in thin-disk booster
• Key Performance Indicators established for productivity and quality
All deliverables and milestone due in the first period of the project have been achieved, and the work carried out has created a solid foundation for the project which will now build on this to achieve its goals in the remaining periods.

Final results

The target call of HIPERDIAS is ICT 27 – Photonics KET the expected impacts of which were:
• Improved business opportunities and value creation in Europe by reinforced cooperation along the value chain.
• Secured and reinforced industrial technology leadership and substantially increased market presence in laser-based manufacturing of high-quality products.
• Significant productivity increase and substantial leverage effects to many industries using laser-based manufacturing.

HIPERDIAS aims to demonstrate laser-based material processing at unprecedented (high-throughput) levels of productivity and precision. The assembled consortium contains leading-edge expertise throughout the value chain from seed lasers, amplifiers, pulse compressors and fibre delivery through to machine and process development. It is strongly user-driven and will deliver material processing solutions defined by consortium members Bosch and Element Six for 3D silicon processing and 3D shaping of synthetic diamond respectively. These two enterprises are the largest in the world in their respective sectors and will provide a strong platform for consortium efforts to maximize the impact and commercial potential of HIPERDIAS solutions in many manufacturing industries and applications

HIPERDIAS will:
• Secure significant productivity improvements in 3D silicon processing, polishing of synthetic diamonds and fine metal cutting
• Develop flexible high-power and high-efficiency femtosecond sources (MHz range) with average power up to 1kW
• Integrate high efficiency pulse compressors and fibre delivery components
• Leverage the cooperation along the supply chain to penetrate large market opportunities and capitalise on strong reference site credentials to service the vast potential for high productivity USP based laser micro machining in major manufacturing sectors

Website & more info

More info: http://www.hiperdias.eu.