The Fundamental Mechanisms of Laser Cleaning Technology and Its Typical Applications in Industry

Laser cleaning is an advanced surface-cleaning technology that can lead to the instant evaporation and stripping of the attachments found on a substrate’s surface, such as contaminants, rust, and coatings; it uses a high-energy laser beam to irradiate the components’ surface. Compared with common surface-cleaning technologies, laser cleaning has the advantages of precision, efficiency, and controllability. In this paper, the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning technology are summarized in detail; these include the laser thermal ablation mechanism, the laser thermal stress mechanism, and the plasma shock wave mechanism. The operational principles, characteristics, and application range of each mechanism are discussed. Their typical applications in industry are outlined according to the differences in the substrate materials used, including metallic materials, nonmetallic materials, and semiconductor elements. This study provides a significant reference and guiding basis for researchers to further explore the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning, as well as various aspects of the typical industrial applications of laser cleaning.