Periodic scratching for global laser-induced damage threshold reduction

•Periodic scratching is proposed to reduce the global laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT).•Numerical simulations and experiments prove the effectiveness of the strategy.•Compared with other methods, periodic scratching is simple, cost-effective, and accurate. Mitigating laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT), which quantifies the power consumption during laser processing, is the key factor in optimizing and updating laser processing with lower energy and power. While methods such as material doping, surface roughness modification, and defect induction have shown promise in reducing LIDT, they fall short of providing a comprehensive solution that offers global LIDT reduction and precise LIDT modulation while relying on minimal workpiece preprocessing. To address the issue, we proposed a new periodic scratching strategy. This approach, validated through both simulations and experiments focused on femtosecond laser etching of soda-lime glass workpieces, demonstrates the capability to achieve global LIDT reduction through period modulation and optimization. We envision that this work paves the way for innovative advancements in laser processing techniques.