Laser Micro-Hole
Drilling from 2 µm
Diameters.
Laser microhole drilling is a non-contact process that produces precise, repeatable micro-scale holes in metals, polymers, glass, silicon, and ceramics, with diameters from 2 µm to 100 µm, and down to roughly 1 µm depending on material and geometry. Goodfellow Microfabrication matches UV and IR laser sources with micro-CNC drilling for medical, semiconductor, aerospace, and industrial applications.
Upload STEP, STL, or PDF, our engineers review it for manufacturability.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Why choose Goodfellow Microfabrication for laser micro-hole drilling
We deliver precision laser micro-hole drilling for micro-scale components, from single prototypes through to high-volume production, with in-house engineering, multiple drilling technologies, and full quality control.
Holes down to 2 µm, ultra-small, repeatable micro-holes across metals, polymers, glass, and ceramics.
Tight positional control, NIST-traceable stages and full inspection for consistent hole size and placement.
High-speed throughput, thousands of holes drilled quickly and repeatably, from prototype to production.
Multiple technologies in-house, UV and IR laser sources plus micro-CNC drilling, matched to your material.
Engineering support, guidance on hole diameter, taper, edge quality, and spacing to improve manufacturability.
Upload STEP, STL, or PDF, our engineers review it for manufacturability.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Explore our precision capabilities
Choose the manufacturing route that fits your geometry, material, and production need.
CNC Micromachining
4-axis CNC milling and drilling for fine-feature and engineering plastics where repeatable tolerance control matters.
Micromecanizado láser
UV, IR and structured polymer film for nozzles incredibly ultra-fine, perfectly uniform backlit micro-holes.
Prototipado rápido
Fast-turn prototype paths for teams that need DFM feedback, material parts on compressed timelines.
Hybrid CNC + Laser
A medical-grade stainless steel stent part, CNC macro structural feature machined and laser-cut.
Unión y ensamblaje
Precision alignment, bonding, micro-assembled components flawlessly bonded and aligned data.
Explore Applications
Choose your sector to get started, or upload your CAD file if your design is ready.
Microfluídica
Precision micro-holes and orifices in polymer and glass substrates for fluid control, filtration, and dosing, with clean edges and tight diameter control.
Next step for Microfluidics
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Aeroespacial
Cooling and effusion holes, sensor orifices, and precision metal components, drilled with IR lasers and multi-axis systems for angled and shaped holes.
Next step for Aerospace
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Semiconductor
Probe-card micro-holes in silicon nitride, ceramics, and engineered substrates, holes as small as 2 microns with tight positional tolerances.
Next step for Semiconductor
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Photonics & Optics
Apertures, fiber-alignment holes, and connector features where tight tolerance on hole diameter and position is critical, on NIST-traceable Aerotech stages.
Next step for Photonics & Optics
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Electronics / MEMS
Vias and micro-holes in Kapton, thin foils, and flex substrates, plus high-speed drilling of thousands of holes quickly and repeatably.
Next step for Electronics / MEMS
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Laser Micro-Hole Drilling Capabilities
Engineering guidance, not fixed spec promises.
Material selection supported, customers often work with engineering to optimise for manufacturability.
Material support available
Work with your own material or select from 170,000+ options.
Broader material matching and traceability support are available through the wider Goodfellow library.
UV Laser vs. IR Laser vs. Micro-CNC Drilling
Use this guide to identify the right process, or combine them for the best result.
Choose the right drilling process for your part, based on material, hole size, and taper.
UV Laser Drilling
Best when you need:
- Transparent and clear polymers
- Very small, clean-edged holes
- Heat-sensitive substrates
Best for: polymers, films, thin substrates
See laser drilling →IR Laser Drilling
Best when you need:
- Metals, ceramics, and silicon
- High-aspect-ratio holes
- Non-contact processing
Hole range: 2 to 100 µm
See metal drilling →Micro-CNC Drilling
Best when you need:
- Larger holes or zero taper
- Thicker materials
- Straight-wall precision
Best for: zero-taper, larger diameters
See micro-CNC drilling →Our Micro-Hole Drilling Process: From Concept to Finished Part
A clear engineering workflow from first brief through material selection, DFM review, fabrication, validation, and delivery.
Submit Your Brief
Share your drawing, CAD file, application goal, tolerance needs, or early-stage project requirements.
Select Material
Use your own material or source precision metals, polymers, ceramics, and specialist grades through Goodfellow.
Engineering Review
Collaborative DFM review to align geometry, material, tolerances, process route, and manufacturability.
Manufacture & Validate
Laser or micro-CNC drilling with in-process inspection, positional verification, and optional validation support.
Deliver or Scale
Move from prototype into repeat production with documented outputs, traceability, and scale-up support.
Supported by the Goodfellow Group’s integrated material, fabrication, and testing capabilities.
The Goodfellow Group
The Goodfellow Group brings together material supply, precision fabrication, and testing capabilities, giving you access to a complete engineering ecosystem.
Global supply of advanced metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, and compounds with research-quality flexibility and production-scale support across 170,000+ specialist materials.
170,000+ material grades
No minimum order
CNC micromachining
Laser micromachining
Hybrid manufacturing
Micro-assembly
Certified reference materials and analytical standards supporting calibration, laboratory QA, and regulatory compliance.
Calibration and QA support
Traceable standards
Trusted by engineers worldwide
“I could have made these (shadow masks with 10-micron diameter holes) myself in the lab, but the learning curve was high for the size of micro hole drilling we needed. That’s why I sought out Potomac Photonics. …”
“We are developing a robotic capsule endoscope which is capable of mobility within the gastrointestinal tract. . . Potomac Photonics produces micro-drilled polyimide sheets that we use as molds to fabricate the micro-patterned polymers. . .”
“… The edges are consistently clean, even under magnification. They have turned orders around much more quickly than I am used to, and most importantly, communication is good. …”
Ready to move forward?
Upload your drawing or request a quote, our engineering team will review your design and respond within 24 hours.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Uploads stay confidential. We can sign your NDA on request before you share files.
You submit your request
Name, email, description, drawing. No commitment.
Engineer reviews your part
DFM check on geometry, tolerances, material fit.
Quote & process path confirmed
Feasibility, recommended process, next steps.
Step 1, Tell us about your part
Common questions
Direct answers to the engineering, materials, and process questions buyers most often ask when evaluating a microfabrication partner.
Laser microhole drilling is a non-contact process used to produce precise, repeatable micro-scale holes. It is a core capability at Goodfellow Microfabrication, which drills holes from 2 µm to 100 µm and, depending on material and geometry, down to roughly 1 micron.
Goodfellow Microfabrication drills micro-holes from 2 µm to 100 µm and continually develops new processes that push feature sizes smaller, down to about 1 micron. The achievable size depends on the material, thickness, hole shape, and taper.
Goodfellow Microfabrication drills polymers including polyimide (Kapton), polycarbonate, PEEK, polyamide (nylon), BoPET (Mylar), polyethylene, ABS, and silicone (PDMS); metals including stainless steel, copper, brass, tantalum, titanium, aluminium, nickel, and nitinol; and other materials such as ceramics, glass, and silicon wafers.
The drilling technology depends on the material and application. Transparent polymers are often processed with UV laser sources, while metals and ceramics typically require IR laser systems. For larger features or zero taper, Goodfellow Microfabrication also offers micro-CNC drilling, keeping multiple technologies in-house.
Key factors include material thickness, hole diameter, edge quality, hole shape, taper, and the required centre-to-centre spacing between holes. Each parameter directly affects process selection and the achievable result.
Yes. Goodfellow Microfabrication’s capabilities include multi-axis drilling systems for angled and shaped holes, and high-speed setups designed to drill thousands of holes quickly and repeatably. Supported thicknesses range from ultra-thin films to components several millimetres thick.
Yes. Goodfellow Microfabrication provides laser drilling for container closure integrity (CCIT) leak testing, creating micro holes from 2 µm to 100 µm in glass, plastic, and metals. Its ISO 13485:2016 certified processes support high quality and rapid turnaround, often completing projects within a week.
Yes. For probe cards, Goodfellow Microfabrication drills holes as small as 2 microns with the tight positional tolerances these applications require, in polymers, ceramics, and other engineered substrates. For catheters, high-precision NIST-traceable Aerotech stages meet tight tolerances on hole diameter and position, including thicker materials for fibre optics of 125 microns and greater.
Ready to drill
at the micron scale?
Share your drawing and hole requirements. Engineers review every design for manufacturability and respond within one business day.
