Higher Precision & Resolution

Shorter wavelengths offer reduced diffraction effects which allows them to be focused to a smaller spot than is possible with longer wavelength lasers. Fundamentally, the diffraction limit is described by the Rayleigh criterion, which states that the minimum resolvable spot size is approximately equal to half the wavelength of the beam. Smaller spots allow for higher spatial resolution in applications that require maximum precision, from microprocessing to microscopy.

Improved Absorption

The higher photonic energy of UV light is strongly absorbed in a shallow surface of the bulk material. High-energy deep UV pulses locally heat a sub-micron layer of the bulk material, exciting or ionizing the material at the molercular or atomic level. At high enough energy densities, much of the heat is dissipated from the target in the plasma generated by the process. This process, known as photo-ablation, is responsbile for reduced heat affected zones that virtually eliminate negative heat effects like unintended melting and cracking. For many materials, particularly those that are transparent or heat sensitive, shorter wavelengths are necessary to achieve the absorption needed for high-quality results.