The new Rapid FX from Coherent is a cost effective femtosecond laser solution for high precision micromachining of metal, glass, sapphire, ceramic and other dielectric materials. The solid-state laser delivers 900fs pulse widths, with pulse energy of up to 100µJ, at a repetition rate of 100kHz (with optional operation at up to 200kHz). Together with its high beam quality (M²<1.4) and pulse-on-demand operation, Rapid FX's pulses enable the production of micron-scale features, with virtually no heat affected zone.
The laser has a low initial purchase price and is reliable, making it an economical choice for a variety of industrial applications requiring high uptime and consistent performance. Typical examples include drilling holes in automotive fuel injector nozzles, glass and sapphire scribing for display and smartphone manufacture, and precision structuring of medical implants. While Coherent’s portfolio of picosecond and nanosecond lasers offers many compelling application advantages, the Rapid FX femtosecond laser provides improved dimensional accuracy and an expanded process window.