Solid-State Laser Technology · Over 30 Years in the Laser Industry

ADVANCED
PICOSECOND
LASERS

From IR to Deep UV

Compact, all-solid-state laser systems combining high pulse energy with flexible configurations for advanced material processing, scientific research and industrial integration.

Discover the technologies enabled by picosecond deep-UV lasers →

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Why Passat

Engineered around your process

Why Passat Lasers
Are Different

There is no single laser configuration that is optimal for every material and process.

Passat systems can be configured around the application, giving researchers and manufacturers greater control over how laser energy is delivered to the material.

213 nm

Deep UV at 213 nm

Rare commercially available all-solid-state picosecond operation at 213 nm.

1064–213 nm

Selectable Wavelength

Laser configurations from 1064 nm in the infrared to 213 nm in the deep UV.

10–70 ps

Configurable Pulse Width

Select the picosecond pulse width for the required peak power and thermal effect.

Low Hz / 1,000 Hz / up to 12,000 Hz

Flexible Repetition Rate

Choose higher pulse energy at lower rates or greater throughput at higher rates.

Single / Double

Advanced Pulse Control

Single or double pulses, with sharp-front or gradual-front pulse configurations.

Gaussian / Top-Hat

Selectable Beam Profile

Gaussian and top-hat configurations for different energy distributions and geometries.

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Deep-UV Advantage
213nm

5.82 eV
photon energy

High picosecond peak powerHighest photon energy in the Passat wavelength rangeMicron-scale focusing and micron-scale holesTwo-photon absorption in wide-bandgap materialsProcessing of transparent dielectricsDrilling of thin and brittle materialsMicromachining of extremely hard materials, including tungsten carbideClean holes with minimal scorching, melting and edge chipping

Deep-UV picosecond operation

Why 213 nm Matters

One of the key advantages of the 213 nm wavelength is its ability to induce nonlinear two-photon absorption. This process occurs only at high laser intensities and becomes the key mechanism for drilling and micromachining wide-bandgap dielectric materials such as fused silica, quartz, sapphire and many technical ceramics.

A single 213 nm photon carries approximately 5.82 eV of energy. Although this is below the bandgap of fused silica (approximately 9 eV), the simultaneous absorption of two photons provides sufficient energy to excite electrons across the bandgap and initiate laser ablation. At longer wavelengths, such as 1064 nm, approximately eight photons must be absorbed simultaneously to achieve the same effect, making the process much less efficient.

The high peak power required for two-photon absorption is achieved by the combination of picosecond pulse duration and high pulse energy. At the same time, picosecond pulses minimize the interaction time between the laser beam and the material, reducing heat diffusion, edge chipping, microcracks and the heat-affected zone. This is particularly important for precision processing of brittle materials such as UV-grade fused silica and other optical components.

The 213 nm wavelength also enables the laser beam to be focused into spots only a few microns in diameter, producing extremely high local intensity while allowing the fabrication of micron-scale features and high-aspect-ratio micro-holes. This capability is especially valuable for applications in microelectronics, medical devices, photonics, MEMS, and other fields requiring ultra-precise laser micromachining.

Together, the deep-UV wavelength, picosecond pulse duration and high peak power create a unique combination of nonlinear absorption, micron-scale focusing and minimal thermal impact. These advantages make 213 nm picosecond lasers an excellent tool for precision micromachining of a wide range of materials, including transparent dielectrics, semiconductors, metals and ultra-hard materials such as tungsten carbide.

Alternative Sources of Deep-UV Light

Excimer DUV lasers

ArF (193 nm) and KrF (248 nm) excimer lasers are well-established deep-UV sources. However, excimer lasers generate nanosecond pulses and typically operate with multimode beam profiles, resulting in lower beam quality and significantly poorer focusing performance than single-transverse-mode solid-state lasers. The larger focal spot limits the achievable energy density and minimum feature size.

Excimer systems are also bulky gas lasers requiring high-voltage power supplies, circulating laser gases and regular maintenance. Their gas mixtures contain halogens, increasing system complexity and operating costs.

Why Passat is different

  • Compact all-solid-state platform. Unlike excimer lasers, Passat systems do not require circulating laser gases, halogen mixtures, high-voltage gas-discharge hardware or complex gas handling, making the system significantly more compact, safer and easier to maintain.
  • Picosecond pulse duration. Excimer lasers generate nanosecond pulses, whereas Passat lasers operate in the picosecond regime. This provides much higher peak intensity even at moderate pulse energy, enabling efficient material removal with substantially lower thermal loading.
  • Single-transverse-mode beam quality. Passat lasers deliver a diffraction-limited beam that can be focused to a much smaller spot than the typically multimode excimer beam. The resulting higher energy density enables finer feature sizes, better dimensional accuracy and improved machining precision.
  • Lower thermal impact. The combination of ultrashort pulses, superior beam quality and higher peak intensity minimizes melting, recast layers, microcracking and the heat-affected zone during deep-UV micromachining.
Nanosecond 213 nm solid-state lasers

Commercial nanosecond solid-state lasers are widely available at the first (1064 nm), second (532 nm) and third (355 nm) harmonics. Commercial 213 nm nanosecond systems are extremely rare. Generating the fifth harmonic efficiently requires specialized nonlinear crystals with very precise alignment, making these systems difficult to manufacture and maintain. Conversion efficiency is typically low and long-term output stability is significantly more challenging than at lower harmonics. As a result, most 213 nm nanosecond lasers are laboratory or research systems rather than commercial industrial products.

Even when available, nanosecond 213 nm lasers still produce pulse durations that are typically two to three orders of magnitude longer than picosecond lasers. Consequently, their peak power is much lower for the same pulse energy, allowing heat to diffuse into the material during the pulse. This increases melting, microcracking, edge chipping and the heat-affected zone.

Passat Advantages

  • Commercially available 213 nm output. Unlike nanosecond solid-state systems, which are extremely difficult to implement at the fifth harmonic, Passat provides a reliable commercial 213 nm picosecond laser platform.
  • Much higher peak power. Picosecond pulses deliver significantly higher peak power than nanosecond pulses at the same pulse energy, enabling efficient material processing with substantially lower pulse energies.
  • Achieving comparable peak intensity. To reach the same peak intensity as a picosecond laser, a nanosecond system would require substantially higher pulse energy. This leads to larger laser systems, higher-power pump sources, more demanding cooling, increased cost and greater stress on the nonlinear crystals.
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Configure Your Laser

Flexible by design

Configure the Laser
Around Your Application

Different metals can require very different processing conditions. Semiconductors such as silicon—and especially dielectric materials such as ceramics, fused silica and quartz—require careful selection of wavelength, pulse width, fluence, repetition rate and pulse mode for efficient, high-quality processing.

1064 nm

High pulse energy

Efficient metal processing, ablation and plasma generation.

532 nm

Ranging & sensing

LiDAR, atmospheric measurements, bathymetry and underwater scanning.

355 nm

Versatile UV

Effective processing of metals, polymers, ceramics and semiconductors.

266 nm

High-resolution UV

Smaller focal spots and improved absorption in difficult materials.

213 nm

Deep-UV precision

Two-photon interaction in wide-bandgap dielectrics, glass and quartz.

Pulse Width

10 / 30 / 70 ps

Balance peak power, ablation efficiency, thermal effect and process stability.

Pulse Shape

Sharp or Gradual Front

Control how rapidly the interaction, plasma formation and shock wave begin.

Pulse Mode

Single or Double Pulse

Modify drilling efficiency, material removal and plasma development.

Repetition Rate

Low Hz / 1,000 Hz / up to 12,000 Hz

Choose higher pulse energy at lower rates or greater throughput at higher rates.

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Start a conversation

What does your application require?

Tell us about the material, thickness, feature size and required process result. We will help identify a suitable laser configuration.

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sales@passatltd.com+1 905 695 1088Concord, Ontario, Canada