Studies on laser ablation of low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC)

Purpose - Low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) material is introduced as an excellent alternative to silicon, glass, or plastic materials for the fabrication of miniaturised analytical devices, though it is most widely used in the automotive and microwave industries. The paper aims to study the laser ablation of LTCC material. Design/methodology/approach - This kind of green tape material is mechanised by excimer laser (KrF, 248 nm) and UV laser (Nd: YAG, 355 nm), and for the first time by infra-red laser (1,090 nm). The optical photos and the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) photos of the LTCC ablated by different kinds of laser sources are given in this paper. Findings - When using the UV laser, the tapered structure can be easily seen from the SEM photo. However, a kind of clear and perfect ablation of LTCC can be seen for the first time by the 1,090 nm infra-red laser ablation. Originality/value - The laser ablation of LTCC by optical fibre sources is discussed.