Editing Laser engraving (section)

===Metals===
Metals are heat resistant and thermally conductive, making them more difficult to engrave than other materials. Due to their thermal conductivity, pulsed, rather than continuous wave lasers, are preferred in laser engraving applications. High peak power, low pulse duration lasers are able to ablate material off a metal engraving surface without delivering enough energy to melt the surface.

[[File:Laserengravingonsteel.jpg|thumb|Laser on stainless steel]]

Metals can not be easily be engraved with common 10,600{{nbsp}}nm<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Laser Engraving on Metal {{!}} Expert Guide |url=https://www.digthisout.com/laser-engraving-on-metal-expert-guide/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> wavelength {{chem|C|O|2}} lasers, on account of many metals having high reflectivity around this wavelength. Yb:Fiber Lasers, Nd:YVO{{sub|4}}, both emitting light of approximately 1000{{nbsp}}nm wavelength, [[Nd:YAG lasers]] at 1,064{{nbsp}}nm wavelength, or its harmonics at 532 and 355{{nbsp}}nm, emit light that is more readily absorbed by most metals. They are thus more suitable for the laser engraving of metals.