Ultraviolet lasers work through a photochemical reaction that breaks the molecular bonds of the material directly, a process fundamentally different from Ytterbium fiber and CO2 lasers which use thermal effects to ablate material. This difference means UV lasers can mark materials and surfaces that conventional lasers cannot handle, with results that are significantly cleaner. Our new system opens the door for you to explore what laser technology can do beyond what you thought was possible.

Why UV is fundamentally different

Ytterbium fiber lasers operate at 1064nm, far infrared invisible to the human eye. CO2 lasers operate at 10,600nm, very far infrared. Both generate heat that ablates material through vaporisation. UV lasers operate at 355nm, close to the visible light spectrum at the violet boundary. At this wavelength, each photon carries enough energy to break molecular chemical bonds directly, without needing to heat the material first. This process is called photochemical ablation, and its effect on material is very different from thermal ablation.

With thermal lasers, heat spreads to the area surrounding the marking point. This heat affected zone, or HAZ, can cause micro-cracks in glass, discolouration in plastics, deformation in thin materials, and contamination in sensitive electronic components. UV leaves no meaningful HAZ. Energy is released exactly at the point of interaction, and stops there.

What this means for real applications

Photochemical ablation significantly expands the range of materials that can be worked on:

• Glass, including optical glass and display glass, can be marked without micro-cracks
• Transparent plastics such as polycarbonate and acrylic can be marked without discolouration or edge deformation
• Ceramics and composite materials can be marked at high resolution
• PCBs and sensitive electronic components can be marked without thermal damage risk to surrounding components

Beyond material compatibility, UV produces a smaller spot at the same focal length compared to IR lasers, because spot size is directly proportional to wavelength. A smaller spot means finer detail: small text, miniature QR codes, serial numbers on small components, and branding on curved surfaces all remain clearly legible.

The system we use

We are now equipped with a UV laser marking system based on the GZTECH S-10-355-N1F with a Feeltek Lite 10 scanhead. Key specifications relevant to marking applications are as follows.

The GZTECH S-10-355 laser source produces output above 10W at 60kHz, with beam quality M² below 1.3, approaching the theoretical diffraction limit. Pulse width below 14ns at 60kHz ensures very brief material interaction, minimising heat transfer. Output stability below 3% RMS and spot roundness above 90% mean every pulse throughout a production session is consistent with the one before it. A frequency range of 50 to 200kHz gives us the flexibility to tune parameters to different materials rather than running one fixed setting for everything. The system is production-ready within 10 minutes of power-on.

The Feeltek Lite 10 scanhead is a 2-axis deflection unit with a 10mm aperture, compatible with the 355nm wavelength, repeatability of 8μrad, and tracking error below 0.12μs. Typical marking speed reaches 7m/s with positioning speed of 20m/s, ensuring adequate production throughput without sacrificing precision.

What 10W with a high precision scanhead actually means

For those who want to go deeper, mark quality is determined by the combination of beam quality, output stability, and scanhead precision. A beam with M² below 1.3 passing through the Lite 10 produces a clean, consistent spot at every point across the marking field, not just at the centre. Output stability below 3% RMS means pulse intensity does not fluctuate significantly throughout a session. The result is uniform marking from the first component to the last in a production batch.

At 10W with frequencies up to 200kHz, this system has sufficient throughput for medium-scale production needs. For applications requiring high detail at real production volumes, this combination is the right balance between precision and productivity.

Start with a trial

UV laser compatibility with your material must be verified in practice, not assumed from specifications. We offer trials for you to bring the material or component you want marked, and we work through it together to find the right parameters. Contact us to schedule a trial, and start from the actual condition of your material.