Damage Characteristics in Glass Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composites Under Continuous Wave and Pulsed Laser Modes

Composite materials have been extensively utilized in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other aerospace applications due to their unique advantages, while laser countermeasures have emerged as a critical approach in anti-UAV warfare. Different laser modes produce significantly different effects. In this study, we have mainly considered the ablation and damage characteristics of composite materials affected by continuous wave (CW) and pulsed laser (PL) modes. Through comparative analysis of damage morphologies and elemental variations, the damage characteristics and mechanisms of composite materials have been studied, and thermodynamic models have been established. The results demonstrate that the damage produced using the CW mode is primarily thermal ablation, induced through power intensification, whereas the PL mode predominantly causes thermal stress fractures via energy concentration. This investigation provides fundamental references for optimizing laser-based counter-UAV systems.