Material Absorption Heatmap

Explore how different materials absorb laser wavelengths. Hover over cells to see detailed explanations, click a material row to lock its absorption curve.

Wavelength Absorption Matrix

Color intensity shows absorption level: Green = excellent, Yellow = moderate, Gray = poor, Red = prohibited

Material	UV355nm	Diode450nm	Fiber1064nm	CO₂10.6µm
Wood	Good	Excellent	Poor	Excellent
Acrylic	Excellent	Poor	Poor	Excellent
Stainless Steel	Moderate	Poor	Excellent	PROHIBITED
Leather	Good	Excellent	Moderate	Excellent
Glass	Excellent	Poor	Poor	Good
Anodized Aluminum	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Poor
PVC/Vinyl	PROHIBITED	PROHIBITED	PROHIBITED	PROHIBITED
Cardboard	Good	Excellent	Poor	Excellent

Understanding Absorption

High Absorption (Green)

Material's atomic structure strongly absorbs this wavelength, converting photon energy to heat efficiently. Results in clean cuts/marks.

Low Absorption (Gray)

Material reflects or transmits the wavelength. Little energy transfer occurs. Processing is ineffective or impossible.

Pro tip: Click any material row to see detailed absorption explanations for each laser type. The physics behind compatibility is wavelength-dependent absorption!