{"id":1521,"date":"2026-10-01T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jingpengpcb.com\/?p=1521"},"modified":"2026-10-02T19:37:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T11:37:30","slug":"pcb-laser-drilling-types","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jingpengpcb.com\/en\/blog\/pcb-laser-drilling-types\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the different types of laser drilling used in PCB factories?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the field of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) manufacturing, lasersDrilling<\/a>Laser technology is a critical process that enables the rapid and precise creation of microscopic holes to meet the demands of high-density circuit layouts in modern electronic products. This article will introduce several common laser drilling technologies used in PCB manufacturing facilities, along with their principles and applications.
\n\"Applications<\/p>\n

Basic Principles of Laser Drilling<\/h2>\n

Laser drilling is a process in which a laser beam is focused onto the surface of a PCB, and the energy of the laser is used to remove the substrate material to be machined. During laser drilling, three main phenomena occur when the beam interacts with the workpiece surface:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Reflection: Part of the light beam is reflected by the surface and does not contribute to the machining process.<\/li>\n
  2. Absorption: The material absorbs the energy of the light beam, causing localized heating.<\/li>\n
  3. Penetration: A beam passes through the surface of a material and produces an effect within it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The key role of laser drilling is to utilize the energy of light to remove material through photothermal or photochemical ablation (also known as cutting), thereby forming holes.<\/p>\n

    Thermal Ablation<\/h3>\n

    Laser ablation is a process in which the material being processed absorbs high-energy laser energy, rapidly heats up to its melting point, and evaporates, forming holes. This method leaves carbonized residue on the hole walls, which must be removed before the holes are formed.<\/p>\n

    Photochemical Ablation<\/h3>\n

    Photochemical ablation refers to the result of the interaction between a laser with high-energy photons in the ultraviolet region and a material. This high photon energy can break the long molecular chains of organic materials, causing them to decompose into smaller particles that then escape from the material, forming microscopic pores. Unlike photothermal ablation, photochemical ablation does not produce carbonized residue, making cleanup relatively straightforward.<\/p>\n

    Common Laser Drilling Techniques<\/h2>\n

    In commercial PCB manufacturing, common laser drilling technologies include:<\/p>\n

    1. CO\u2082 Gas Laser<\/h3>\n

    CO\u2082 gas lasers are commonly used for manufacturing micro-holes. They are suitable for applications requiring micro-holes with diameters greater than 100 \u03bcm. CO\u2082 lasers offer high production efficiency because the time required to produce large holes is very short. However, the hole quality may be lower.<\/p>\n

    2. UV Solid-State Nd:YAG Laser<\/h3>\n

    UV solid-state Nd:YAG lasers are suitable for producing micropores with diameters less than 100 \u03bcm; in particular, with the application of miniaturized circuit layouts, pore diameters can be less than 50 \u03bcm. This technology offers high throughput for producing small pores but is not suitable for producing large pores.<\/p>\n

    3. Dual-head laser drilling system<\/h3>\n

    Dual-head laser drilling systems are becoming increasingly popular in commercial PCB manufacturing. They typically include two different types of laser heads\u2014usually an ultraviolet laser head and a CO\u2082 laser head.<\/p>\n