The optimization of the cutting process of diamonds with a YAG laser

Abstract

A laser cannot, as generally assumed by the layman, cut right through a diamond with a single cut. A couple of hundred cuts may be necessary to "chip carve" through a diamond. There are several parameters, for example cutting speed, focus point, overlapping of cuts, etc., that influence the cutting process. With a view to optimizing the cutting process, laser cuts in diamonds were studied in a systematic way with the aid of an electron microscope. The method, technique and the results of the research are discussed in this article.