Downward and Upward Air Flow Effects on Fume Particle Dispersion in Laser Line Cutting of Optical Plastic Films

Abstract

In improving laser cutting of optical plastic films for mass production of optoelectronics display units, it is important to understand particle contamination over optical film surface due to fume particle generation and dispersion. This numerical study investigates the effects of downward and upward air flow motions on fume particle dispersion around laser cut line. The simulations employ random particle sampling of up to one million fume particles by probabilistic distributions of particle size, ejection velocity and angle, and fume particle dispersion and surface landing are predicted using Basset-Boussinesq-Oseen model of low Reynolds number flows. The numerical results show that downward air flow scatters fume particles of a certain size range farther away from laser cut line and aggravate surface contamination. However, upward air flow pushes fume particles of this size range back toward laser cut line or sucks them up with rising air motion, thus significantly alleviating surface contamination.