Patent ID: 7169709

Claim:
A laser etching method for optical ablation working by irradiating a work article formed by an inorganic material with a femtosecond laser light emitted in successive trains of light pulses, the laser etching method comprising: an etching step of laser etching the work article by irradiating the trains of light pulses from the femtosecond laser light to the work article; and a scattering step of scattering during an etching pause time, from an etching position of the work article, a plasma cloud of an atomic or molecular particle released from the work article by the optical ablation caused by the femtosecond laser light at the etching step, wherein the etching pause time is provided between two trains of light pulses for a predetermined duration that is longer than a period of irradiating the work article with the train of light pulses.