Rugosity and hardness determination in obsidianus lapis for the design of an Yb3+-doped fiber laser

Abstract

Obsidianus lapis is a volcanic rock that has been worked into tools for cutting or weaponry by Teotihuacan people for hundreds of years. Currently, it is used in jewelry or for house decorative items such as elaborated sculptures. From the physico-chemical properties point of view, obsidianus lapis is considered a glass as its composition is 80% silicon dioxide. In México, there are different kinds of obsidianus lapis which are classified according to its colour: rainbow, black, brown, red, silver, golden and snowflake. The traditional grinding process for working with obsidianus lapis includes fixed grinders and sandpaper for the polishing process, where the craftsman grinds the rock manually for obtaining a variety of shapes. Laser processing of natural stones is a relatively new area. We propose the use of an Yb3+-doped fibre laser for cutting and ablating obsidianus lapis into spherical, rectangular and oval shapes. By means of a theoretical analysis of roughness and hardness, which affect the different surfaces and final shapes, and by considering the changes in material temperature during laser interaction, this work will focus on parameter determination such as: laser fluence, incidence angle, laser average power and peak pulse energy, from the proposed Q-switched fibre laser design. Full optical, hardness and rugosity, initial and final characterization will be included in the presentation.