3. Femtosecond process implementations

The implementation of laser processes is closely linked to materials. More often than not, materials of industrial interest are not the model materials used in scientific studies, and the results of these studies are not quantitatively transferable. This is the case when moving from pure metals (copper, aluminum) to alloys (stainless steel), or from transparent materials studied in the laboratory (fused silica) to industrial glasses. Data concerning these materials of industrial interest are often classified as manufacturing secrets, and precise studies (ablation rate, ablation threshold) are a prerequisite for truly mastered technical development. Of course, the first building block in the development of a femtosecond process is the laser itself. Process development follows laser development. In what follows, we present the different types of laser available, and the spectacular rise in...