Resonetics Opens Lightspeed ADL™ Development Lab and Announces New Laser Micromachining Patent

NASHUA, N.H., Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Resonetics, a leading supplier of polymer micromachining services for the life sciences industry, announced the opening of the Lightspeed ADL, an 8,000 sq. ft. operation focused exclusively on micromachining process development, prototyping and pilot production. The lab will offer an array of laser technologies including excimer, DPSS, CO₂, femtosecond and picosecond workstations, and will be staffed with a dedicated team of engineers, technicians and skilled operators on two shifts.

"With this investment, Resonetics has created a world-class capability to service the needs of the life sciences industry. Speed to market is critical for our customers when launching new products, as is reliable, well-designed and validated manufacturing processes," said Tom Burns, CEO. "Laser micromachining is an enabling process for some of the industry's most cutting-edge technologies; Resonetics intends to maintain its leadership by dedicating significant resources to the product development process."

In addition, Resonetics is pleased to announce its fifth patent granted by the U.S. Patent Office. The new patent is for apparatus for minimizing a heat-affected zone (HAZ) during laser micro-machining.

The patent addresses a common problem in laser micromachining. In the application of lasers to micro-fabrication there is always a degree of undesired side effects due to the spread of laser energy to adjacent material. These include loss of geometrical fidelity of the cut, irreversible modification of the adjacent material properties and changes in its surface characteristics. These effects are often more pronounced in polymers.

According to Dr. Sergey Broude, V.P. Technology at Resonetics, "Our invention manages the delivery of laser energy to the target so that the HAZ is minimized or effectively eliminated while the ablation throughput is kept as high as possible for a given laser. This efficient management is achieved by optimizing the configuration of the illumination field and the target scanning pattern."

Added Tom Burns, "The new patent is another example of how Resonetics continues to be at the forefront of innovation in laser micromachining. It shows that we're dedicated to providing our customers with products and services that offer the highest levels of quality and value."

About Resonetics

Resonetics provides laser micromachining solutions and systems for medical device and diagnostic manufacturing and other applications requiring precision laser processing. Resonetics' expertise with polymers up to 1 mm thick and with features as small as 1 micron is unmatched. Its capacity for laser micromachining polymers in ultra-violet wavelengths is the largest in the world. With more than 25 years of experience building systems and a staff with PhDs, optical scientists and automation experts, the company can address critical design requirements with a cost-effective and repeatable approach. 

SOURCE Resonetics