Photomechanical ablation in obsidianus lapis via Q-switched 1064-nm laser energy

Abstract

The process of ablation in obsidianus lapis is mainly governed by pulse energy from the laser source and scanning speed. The rate of material ablation is influenced by chemical and physical properties. In this work, laser energy at 1064 nm has been used for ablation behavior in a Q-switch regime. A >40 W average power Nd:YAG source with pulse energies ranging from 3 mJ to nearly 7 mJ, achieved surface damages up to 160 μm of depth. Photomechanical ablation in terms of scan speed showed a maximum depth of nearly 500 μm at 130 mm/s. The maximum pulse energy of 12 mJ resulted in the ablation of 170-μm depth. Highly efficient ablation in obsidianus lapis for artistic work is an interesting field of application.