Yusuke Ito
University of Tokyo
“Ultra-high-speed laser machining through visualization of ultrafast light-matter interactions”
Abstract
Femtosecond lasers with extremely high peak intensities have driven remarkable advances in science, medicine, and industry. However, their intrinsically low machining speed has remained a critical limitation. Here, we demonstrate that transient excitation of electrons in transparent materials increases laser machining speed by a factor of one million compared with conventional methods. A single spatially shaped ultrashort laser pulse momentarily alters the optical properties on the picosecond scale, enabling much easier processing by a subsequent pulse. Selective absorption of laser energy in regions with excited electrons induces rapid heating and evaporation at extraordinary rates. Furthermore, this machining is realized using a low-power light source, four orders of magnitude lower than standard femtosecond lasers. The concept of transiently tailoring material properties is expected to usher in a paradigm shift in manufacturing research and development.
Dr. Yusuke Ito is an Associate Professor of the University of Tokyo. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 2018, where he studied femtosecond laser processing of transparent materials. His research interests include the development of novel processing techniques based on observation and simulation of high-speed phenomena.
Date: 9 April 2026, Thursday
Time: 15:30
Place: SA-240
All interested are cordially invited.