Analysis of laser polished line formation part 1: Experimental analysis

This study is focused on the impact of laser and scanner control parameters on the formation of laser polished (LPed) lines. The combined effect of a scanner control parameter called laser-on-delay (LOD) and varying laser power is analyzed with respect to the shape of the LPed line. The ideal shape of an LPed line is characterized by semicircular ends with a diameter equal to the width of the stable region of the line. The trials performed have revealed that inadequate combinations of speed and laser parameters are responsible for the generation of nonuniform/nonoptimal LPed terminal line geometries.