Plasma Shielding Effect in Nanosecond/CW Combined Pulse Laser Ablation of Metals

TL;DR

Combining CW and nanosecond lasers improves metal ablation efficiency by optimizing energy and thermal effects.

Contribution

Demonstrates how plasma shielding and energy coupling affect ablation efficiency in combined laser systems.

Findings

Combined laser irradiation increased ablation volume from 0.05 mm³ to 0.618 mm³.

Ablation depth increased from 0.136 mm to 0.776 mm with combined pulse lasers.

Plasma shielding effect varies with nanosecond pulse energy, affecting performance.

Abstract

Combined pulse laser systems combining continuous-wave (CW) lasers and nanosecond pulsed lasers have shown clear advantages in metal ablation and surface modification. However, the plasma shielding effect induced by nanosecond pulses and the associated shock-wave phenomena in hybrid laser systems remain insufficiently investigated, particularly regarding their influence on CW laser energy coupling. In this study, the ablation behavior of metal targets under the combined irradiation of a 500 W CW laser and nanosecond pulsed lasers with pulse energies ranging from 0.4 J to 1.0 J was investigated. High-speed plasma imaging was employed to analyze laser–material interaction characteristics, including absorption behavior and molten material ejection, while high-speed infrared thermography was used to monitor transient temperature evolution during combined pulse laser processing. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses were conducted to characterize damage morphology, and a three-dimensional surface profilometer was used to quantitatively evaluate ablation efficiency. The results show that, under combined pulse laser irradiation, the removed volume increased from 0.05 mm3 to 0.618 mm3 and the ablation depth increased from 0.136 mm to 0.776 mm. Compared with CW laser processing alone, the ablation efficiency was markedly enhanced. This improvement is attributed to the combined effects of optimized energy deposition, thermal distribution, and material response. In addition, the plasma shielding effect was observed to vary with nanosecond pulse energy, indicating that precise energy control is critical for performance enhancement. This study demonstrates the potential of combined pulse laser technology for high-efficiency and high-precision metal surface processing and micro–nano fabrication.

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