Micromachining of CFRP with Ultra-Short Laser Pulses

We have been investigating material processing of CFRP with short pulse lasers in order to control mechanical and thermal damages. While ultra-short laser pulses enable us to process the CFRP without thermal damages, machining speed tends to be slow due to the limited average power of the laser system. Hence, we focus our attention on micromachining of sub- mm thick CFRP. Considering the excellent properties of carbon fibers, the CFRP has potentials to replace metals and would be useful for innovative devices in electronics industries. Micromachining of the thin composite material is advantageous to the ultra-short laser pulses.