Abstract:In this paper, the authors systematically studied the 193 nm ArF excimer laser system's ablation behavior and hole shape characteristics for natural minerals with different Mohs hardnesses, such as talc, gypsum, chlorite, calcite, apatite, tremolite, albite, topaz, corundum, fluorite and quartz. The ablation rates of 11 natural minerals were obtained in order of quartz > gypsum > talc > calcite > apatite ≥ tremolite > albite > topaz > corundum > fluorite, except chlorite. The ablation rate was negatively correlated with Mohs hardness, except for quartz and fluorite.