An analytical model is presented, which allows estimating the expected dose rates resulting from X-ray emission from ultrashort-pulse laser-produced plasma under industrial conditions. The model is based on the calculation of the Bremsstrahlung spectrum in the X-ray region between about 5 keV and 50 keV, which is created by the hot electrons in the plasma. The model was calibrated with both spectral and dose rate measurements. The scaling of the hot-electron temperature and the fraction of hot electrons in the plasma served as calibration values. The agreement between experiments and model for the investigated irradiances in range from 10 12 to 10 15 W/cm 2 is excellent. The expected Ḣ (0.07) and Ḣ (10) dose rates at a distance of 20 cm from the process in air were calculated for upcoming lasers with 1 kW of average power. Although the dose rates close to the plasma significantly exceed the allowed dose of 50 mSv per year for an irradiance exceeding about 2·10 15 W/cm 2 , the calculations show that shielding with a 2-mm sheet of iron already at a distance of 20 cm attenuates the radiation to a safe value below 0.4 µSv/h.
With the classification of ultrashort‐pulse laser processing systems as “systems for the generation of ionizing radiation” in the German Strahlenschutzgesetz (Radiation Protection Act), their operation is usually no longer possible without a license and without notification of the authorities. This article deals with the implementation of the legal requirements resulting from this classification in an industrial production environment.
Ultrashort pulse lasers are the perfect tool for the micromachining of components for a wide range of applications. Even hard and brittle materials can be processed with high precision in state‐of‐the‐art machines like the GL.smart from GFH. With pulse lengths in the pico and femtosecond range, an irradiation >1012 W/cm2 is incident on the workpiece with the potential to generate ionizing radiation. This article deals with the x‐ray emissions recorded during laser turning operations and the corresponding safety measures.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.