Cutting Through 11mm Silicon Carbide with 1mm/s! GZTECH QCW Fiber Laser Achieves High-Quality Precision Cutting

Silicon carbide (SiC), is a compound semiconductor material composed of silicon (Si) and carbon (C), it’s widely used in new energy vehicles, electronics manufacturing, aerospace, and other fields due to its ultra-high hardness (Mohs hardness of 9~9.5), excellent thermal conductivity (120~270 W/m-K), and high-temperature stability (melting point of about 2730°C). However, these excellent characters also bring great challenges to the processing process (especially cutting). The ability to achieve high-precision, high-efficiency, low-damage (small edge chipping, controlled heat-affected zone) cutting has become one of the key factors to promote the industrialization of SiC devices.

Ⅰ. Water-jet Guided Laser Cutting & QCW Laser Cutting

Water-jet guided laser cutting and QCW laser cutting are two advanced laser processing technologies, each with distinct advantages and suitable for different application situations:

Water-jet Guided Laser Cutting: This employs a high-pressure water jet to guide the laser for cutting, utilizing the cooling effect of water to minimize the heat-affected zone and achieve superior cutting quality. It is particularly suitable for high-precision machining of high-hardness, high-thermal-conductivity materials like silicon carbide (SiC), it preventing thermal damage and micro-cracks effectively. This method is ideal for small-batch, high-value-added products with stringent surface quality requirements, such as semiconductor wafers and precision optical components. However, it comes with drawbacks including high equipment costs, complex maintenance requirements, and relatively slower cutting speeds.

QCW Laser Cutting: It utilizes high-energy pulsed laser beams to achieve non-contact material removal, combining high peak power with high average power. It offers high cutting efficiency, high precision, and strong flexibility, while minimizing thermal damage to silicon carbide (SiC) and low maintenance costs. This method is suitable for large-scale mass production situations, such as the processing of SiC substrates and power devices, meeting the demands for rapid, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing.

                             The differences between the two processing methods

II. GZTECH QCW Fiber Laser Achieves High-Quality Precision Cutting

With excellent beam quality, stable output power, and high peak power characteristics, GZTECH QCW fiber lasers has demonstrated outstanding performance in the field of silicon carbide cutting, and has successfully overcome the challenges of cutting high thermal conductivity and high hardness materials by means of small pulse width high peak cutting, optimized paths, dynamic focusing, and other process methods.

YFQCW-450-SM

Process Verification: Cutting Examples of Silicon Carbide with Different Thicknesses

( 1 ) 2mm Silicon Carbide Cutting

Processing Shape: Hexagon with an circumscribed circle diameter (φ) of 25mm and a central circular hole of φ5mm.

Processing efficiency: The cutting speed is approximately 3mm/s, with a total processing time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds per piece.

Processing effect: Uniform cutting seams, no obvious chipping or molten droplets, and clean edges.

                       Front side (Laser entry surface)                                       Details

( 2 )  4mm Silicon Carbide Cutting

Processing Shape: The external shape measures 38mm*50mm, with 8mm*18mm size internal hole.

Processing efficiency: The cutting speed is 2mm/s, and the total processing time is approximately 13 minutes.

Processing effect: The cutting surface is stable, with neat edges and consistent quality on both the front and back sides.

                             North side (laser exit surface)                                                                            Details

( 3 ) 7mm Silicon Carbide Cutting

Processing Shape: The external shape measures 15mm*25mm, with the hole diameter of 6mm.

Processing efficiency: The processing speed is maintained at 1mm/s to achieve efficient processing of thick Silicon Carbide.

Processing effect: Small taper, capable of cutting small holes with precision.

                                             Front side (Laser entry surface)                                                                                                     Details

( 4 )11mm Silicon Carbide Cutting

Processing Shape: Linear cutting with an outer dimension of 100mm

Processing efficiency: The cutting speed remains at 1mm/s to achieve efficient processing of thick Silicon Carbide.

Processing effect: Straight-line cutting with a perpendicular cross-section.

Details

IV. Five Reasons for Choosing GZTECH QCW Fiber Laser

High efficiency: Compared to water-jet guided laser cutting, the QCW fiber laser offers faster cutting speeds, which can significantly shorten the processing cycle and improve production efficiency, making it particularly suitable for large-scale manufacturing.

High precision and low damage: With precise energy control and dynamic focus adjusting technology, it ensures clean and smooth cutting edges, free from noticeable chipping or molten protrusions, and features a small heat-affected zone, meeting the demands of high-precision machining.

High reliability: with extensive technical expertise and strict quality control, GZTECH ensures the stable and reliable performance of its QCW lasers, which boast long continuous operation times, minimizing downtime for maintenance and ensuring uninterrupted production.

High flexibility: The non-contact processing method can easily handle complex graphics and irregular cutting, adapt to diverse product design requirements, and provide more possibilities for product innovation.

Low cost: The QCW fiber laser requires no consumables and is maintenance-free, with costs significantly lower than those of water-jet guided systems. Its long-term cost advantages are evident, helping enterprises reduce expenses and enhance efficiency.

Silicon carbide represents the future development direction of high-performance materials, with its capability for efficient and precision machining serving as a core element in achieving industrial upgrading. Guided by application-driven demands, GZTECH continuously optimizes the performance of QCW lasers and its process database support, striving to deliver laser processing solutions of high efficiency, high reliability, and cost-effectiveness. This approach accelerates the industry’s transition from “machinable” to “excellent machining”,and help the industry to develop with high quality.

In addition to our headquarters in Wuhan, we have established branches in Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Jinan. We warmly welcome everyone to visit us for discussion and sample processing! If you are interested in other product process applications, feel free to leave a message in the comment section!