I've recently been asked if it is possible for my 30watt CO2 laser to laser away the copper on a PCB - in effect for me to create the circuit board for a friend.... a prototype and maybe a small run. He would draw out what he needs and I would laser away the unwanted copper leaving the circuits. You can probably tell that I know next to nothing about this kind of thing, though i am pretty damn sure that when the average circuit board is manufactured there will be more exacting standards of dust-free-ness than I could hope to achieve.....
That said, I am not phased by this idea in principal. After all, how hard can it be....? Is there anything potentially harmful in a typical piece of coppery and resiny PCB that i should be wary of? The copper will be thin.... a bit like etching the back off a mirror surely? Has anyone tried this.... and with what results?