Watch & Jewelry

The watch and jeweler industries have been largely impacted by the emerging field of 3D femtosecond laser microfabrication. With the development of selective laser etching, intricate designs for precision parts and sophisticated accessories are now a possibility. This cutting-edge technique enables customization in the production of toothed wheels or analog movable parts to suit particular characteristics as well as shapes that were previously impossible using only traditional techniques. An invaluable advantage in this field is the Laser Nanofactory system’s ability at producing accurate cuts and modifications on glassware. Additionally, 3D femtosecond laser machining allows for the quick creation of distinctive free-form models without sacrificing quality, giving designers even more creative control when designing timepieces, fine art accessories, and other products.

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Microrobotics
Applications Processes Products Publications Related Examples

Manufacturing examples

Ceramic Structures

The multiphoton polymerization technique with hybrid polymers in combination with pyrolysis enables the removal of the organic part of the polymer and produces ceramic structures.  Structure shrinkage during pyrolysis is homogeneous and is approximately 25 %.

Laser Marking

Laser processing precision makes it possible to engrave tiny QR codes on different material surfaces as well as imprinting QR codes into transparent material volume.

3D Meso-Spring

3D laser lithography is a suitable technology for the production of high-precision micromechanical components, an example being the single-helix three-turn 3D meso-spring for micro-mechanical applications.

3D Glass Structures

Selective laser etching (SLE) technology enables the fabrication of true 3D glass structures with complex architecture, for instance, fullerene molecule‑like structures.

Threads for Screws

The SLE technology permits straightforward conversion of the desired CAD design to a 3D micropart. Even mm-size structures with a few micrometers of precision can be printed in this way.

Tesla Valve

Tesla valve microfluidic channels can be fabricated inside the volume of glass. This microchannel design allows the liquid to flow in only one direction.

Geneva Gear

The Geneva gear is an arbitrary-shaped micromechanical component and is one of the most used devices for producing intermittent rotary motion.

Micromechanical Sensor

By selective laser etching (SLE), glass microstructures can be made and polymeric structures can be integrated into the glass microstructures using multiphoton polymerization (MPP).

Laser Surface Texturing

The femtosecond laser produces an oxidation formation on a titanium alloy surface. Varying colors can be achieved by creating oxide layers of different thicknesses.

Application fields

Micro-mechanics

Femtosecond microfabrication in micromechanics applications uses techniques like multiphoton polymerization and selective laser etching to produce flexible and high-precision 3D structures. These structures, made of materials like polymers and ceramics, can be used in various fields like micromechanics and microrobotics and are ideal for applications that require movable assembly-free components.

Laser Marking

Femtosecond laser marking allows precise coloring of titanium alloy surfaces to achieve varying colors. The technique is used in cosmetic, industrial, and automotive applications such as jewelry, medical devices, and tool marking. Similar effects can be achieved on other metals, like stainless steel, copper, silver, and gold.

Employed Processes

Multi-Photon Polymerization

Microfabrication by multi-photon polymerization is a direct laser-write technique which allows 3D structuring of photopolymers at the micro- and nano-scale.

Other Microfabrications

Femtosecond lasers are extremely versatile tools allowing a great variety of different microfabrication processes, like micro-ablation, surface structuring, micro-welding, laser marking, micro-cutting and more.

Selective Laser Etching

Selective laser etching (SLE) is a subtractive laser technology allowing fabrication of complex-shape 3D glass parts with micrometer precision.

Laser Nanofactory

Multi-Photon Polimerization

Multiphoton-polymerization (MPP) is a technology that enables the production of arbitrary shape polymeric structures within submicrometric resolution. First, a photoresist sample is prepared by drop-casting polymer material mixed with a photoinitiator on the glass slide and then pre-baking.

Hybrid Fabrication

Laser Nanofactory workstation allows hybrid fabrication, meaning that various processes are supported by the same equipment. The two of our most frequently used processes are multiphoton polymerization and selective glass etching, however that is far from all!

Contract Manufacturing

Feasibility Studies

A feasibility study is composed of several steps, including researching methods for fabricating micro-structures, fabricating a micro-structure prototype, measuring and aligning the prototype with technical requirements, and finally preparing a study report.

Small Scale Production

Small-scale production is an essential step in the overall process of micro-structure fabrication, helping to ensure that the developed process is effective, efficient, and capable of producing high-quality micro-structures at scale.

Related Publications

Optimization of selective laser etching (SLE) for glass micromechanical structure fabrication

A. Butkutė, T. Baravykas, J. Stančikas, T. Tičkūnas, R. Vargalis, D. Paipulas, V. Sirutkaitis, and L. Janušauskas. Optical Express 23487, Vol. 29, No. 15, 19.07.2021, (2021). DOI: 10.1364/OE.430623.