Laser system and processing conditions for manufacturing bioabsorbable stents

A polymer stent body, comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected structural elements formed by laser machining a polymer substrate with a laser beam that cuts through the wall to form the structural elements,
• wherein the structural elements have sidewalls corresponding to machined edge surfaces,
• wherein a surface region adjacent to the sidewalls has damage caused by interaction of the laser beam with the substrate, characterized in that
• wherein the damage comprises voids or cracks dispersed in the surface region to a depth of 2 microns or less from the edge surface.

A stent, comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected structural elements formed by laser machining a polymer substrate with a laser beam with a pulse width and wavelength that cuts through a wall of the substrate to form the structural elements having sidewalls corresponding to machined edge surfaces,
• wherein the laser beam modifies the substrate in a surface region adjacent to the machined edge surface,
• wherein the modifications include voids, cracks, and variation in modulus of the polymer with distance from the edge surface, or a combination thereof,
• wherein a pulse width and wavelength of the laser are selected so that the voids or cracks are present at no greater than a depth of 2 microns or the modulus converges at no greater than 4 microns.

A stent comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected structural elements formed by laser machining a polymer substrate with a laser beam to cut through a wall of the substrate to form structural elements having a machined edge surface;
• and
• wherein interaction of the laser beam with the substrate causes damage in a surface region adjacent to the machined edge surface arising from thermal and nonthermal ablation,
• wherein the damage comprises of cracks or voids no greater than a depth of 2 microns arising from nonthermal ablation and melting no greater than 1 micron in thickness arising from thermal ablation.