It is understood that scientists at Heriot-Watt University claim to use a breakthrough method to weld materials such as glass and metal, thanks to ultra-fast laser pulses. Traditionally, welding has been limited to materials with similar properties, so it is difficult to weld aluminum and steel together.

Heriot-Watt University's breakthrough technology Ultra-fast laser pulse welding of metal and glass

Current technology does not work well with metals and glass. They require different temperatures to melt and they expand differently in response to heat. There are other manufacturing methods that allow them to stick together, but the results are not ideal.

“The ability to solder glass and metal together will be a major advancement in manufacturing and design flexibility,” said Duncan Hand, director of the EPSRC Laser Manufacturing Process Innovation Manufacturing Center, which developed the new technology. “Currently, equipment and products involving glass and metal are usually glued together. The adhesive is cumbersome to apply, and the parts will gradually loosen or move. Outgassing is also a problem – the organic chemicals in the adhesive gradually Released may result in a shortened product life."

This new technology is suitable for optical materials such as quartz, borosilicate glass and sapphire and can now be soldered to metals such as aluminum, stainless steel and titanium. The key to this process is an infrared laser that emits pulses in the range of a few picoseconds.

“The parts to be welded are in close contact, the laser is focused by the optical material, providing a very small and high-intensity spot at the interface between the two materials – we achieve megawatts of peak power over a few microns,” Duncan Hand explained. “This creates a tiny plasma like a tiny lightning ball inside the material, surrounded by a highly enclosed melting zone. We are at temperatures between -50 ° C and 90 ° C (-58 ° F to 194 ° F) The welds were tested. The welds remained intact, so we know they are strong enough to withstand extreme conditions."

The team is working with experts to develop laser processing prototype systems, so the method can be commercialized for manufacturing.