Spectra-Physics, a Newport Company, has introduced ClearShape, a patent-pending femtosecond laser process for highest quality, fast cutting of chemically strengthened glass, unstrengthened glass, and sapphire. At speeds over 1000 mm/s, the new process results in several-fold improvement in cut quality over other laser processes: no chipping, Ra <0.1 µm edge roughness, and as-cut bending strength of >650 MPa for chemically strengthened glass. Utilizing the widely deployed Spirit family of industrial femtosecond lasers, the new process is ideal for 24/7 manufacturing of displays and windows for mobile devices, wearables, and other demanding applications.
Spectra-Physics also introduces Spirit 1040-16, a high power addition to its Spirit family of industrial femtosecond lasers. The new laser delivers >16 W average output power with ultrashort <400 fs pulse width, 40 µJ pulse energy, and repetition rate up to 1 MHz. Spirit 1064-16 is ideal for fast, cold micromachining of semiconductors, flat panel displays, and other microelectronics manufacturing applications. Spirit is a thoroughly proven industrial platform and has passed extensive environmental qualification testing to ensure high reliability.