Cool Laser for Cutting Diamonds

Abstract

Diamond cutters have been looking for a laser cutting tool that can slice through a diamond without causing any thermal damage.

Raw diamonds can contain inclusions in the form of non-diamond hybrid materials or air bubbles, making them susceptible to damage from intense heat during laser cutting. The heat of a conventional laser beam can cause the inherent material tension in such inclusions to explode the stone. Thus, a rough diamond worth several thousands of dollars can literally be reduced to worthless bits in a matter of seconds without any warning.