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This shape was produced through laser ablation |
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Ablation differs from structuring only in the following
respect: the depressions produced by the individual
pulses overlap to form lines. The lines, in turn, overlap to
form areas. The laser removes material layer by layer until the
depression has attained the desired shape and depth. Thus,
ablation is used to produce relatively large depressions with
complex geometries. Depths typically range from several micrometers
to a few millimeters. The laser enables not only point and lineshaped
structures but also creates entirely new
forms by ablating in layers. In tool and mold
construction the laser is an economical instrument,
creating the smallest of cavities with processing
diameters of less than 30 μm.
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