Laser heat treatment with VCSEL

Plastics can be welded with the use of laser irradiation. In this process, two thermoplastics are joined using a laser beam. This penetrates the transparent surface layer of the component and heats the radiation-absorbing part underneath. The absorbent plastic base material melts and thereby fuses the transparent joining area. VCSEL heating systems can simultaneously weld and heat the application area of the workpiece in a single pass.

VCSEL systems offer customized high-performance laser solutions for  fiber placement and tape-laying processes. Thanks to VCSEL laser heat treatment,  composites can be produced in a more scalable and flexible manner.

VCSEL arrays are suitable for the industrial manufacture of furniture panels. You achieve seamless edge and surface welds and thus  excellent product results. A compact and reliable VCSEL heat treatment source delivers targeted and precisely controllable infrared laser power; it particularly excels in high-throughput production applications.

VCSEL systems can triple the speed of sealing pouch cells. They do this by applying heat for welding inside the pouch film, near the welding area. Heat treatment also provides a very precise seal. This extends the service life of the battery cells since it prevents the formation of wrinkles in the film. This process increases the quality and homogeneity of the pouch cells.

After coating, battery foils are dried to remove any solvents from their active materials. Industrial VCSEL systems are optimally suited for large-scale heat treatment processes  such as the drying of foils. In particular, heat treatment with VCSEL laser arrays is very flexible in terms of both scalability and power irradiance. Large surface areas can be heated with highly precise, local control of wavelength-selective infrared heat.

Localized softening of body steel parts in the automotive industry is ideally suited for targeted heat treatment of certain areas. This includes components such as B pillars. VCSEL solutions offer a quick and easy way to selectively soften high-tensile steel parts.

VCSEL arrays enable homogeneous heating of silicon wafers. Due to their highly uniform and rapid heating, they are ideal for rapid thermal processing (RPT) in wafer production. Individual heating zones can be controlled with a high level of precision. Laser heat enables very rapid temperature increases of several hundred degrees Celsius per second. VCSELs increase wafer quality by means of excellent localized control via temperature profiles.

VCSEL laser arrays make the production of solar cells more efficient. The process of burning in the contacts made up of silver particles on the surface of the solar cells is called "firing". Using VCSEL systems for this process offers a number of advantages. During fast firing with laser beams, only the solar cells are heated, while the rest of the furnace area remains largely cool. Laser beams as a heat source increase energy efficiency and cost efficiency. Furthermore, less space is required for the furnace and the service life is extended. These properties of diode laser heating systems can significantly reduce production costs.

VCSEL arrays can increase the efficiency of solar cells. With ultrafast regeneration  in a matter of seconds, high-performance VCSEL laser modules for irradiating monocrystalline Si solar cells sustainably prevent  reactive boron-oxygen formation. The result: significantly increased cell efficiency. This process is both efficient and highly localized in terms of intensity and target area.  Ultrafast cell regeneration  significantly increases the efficiency of high-performance solar cells.

With ultrafast  light soaking, energy barriers are broken down during production by the intense radiation and high temperatures generated by the VCSEL heating systems. This process reduces the interior resistance of the solar cell, enabling it to work more efficiently. As a result, VCSEL systems can increase the efficiency of solar cells.

With LAS, solder balls are soldered directly onto printed circuit boards using VCSEL laser infrared heat treatment, which is particularly advantageous for smaller ball and pitch scenarios. With LAS, VCSEL lasers ensure high-precision local heat treatment and the highest quality of the solder joints. As an added benefit, laser heat treatment increases the lifespan of the printed circuit boards.

The LAB process uses a flip chip on a printed circuit board and solder balls for connections. The VCSEL system heats the chip from above, and laser energy transmitted through a silicon plate melts the solder balls between the chip and the printed circuit board. This enables heating of larger areas of a complete board with multiple chips  – with higher output power than other solutions.

When 3D-printing large-volume metal parts, thermal gradients often adversely affect the sintered parts. With VCSEL-based heating systems, stress can be minimized from above. This is because the heat from the laser significantly reduces thermal stress and distortion on the printed part. This improves the mechanical properties of the component.