Al2O3 ceramic has been micro-structured in air using 180 fs, lambda = 775 nm optical pulses in a fluence range 1.4 < F < 21 J cm(-2) with observed ablation rates of 25 < V < 900 mu m(3)/pulse. The threshold fluence was F-th = 1.1 J cm(-2) at this ultrashort pulse-length in the NIR. Melting could be minimised using ultrafast optical pulses, improving the edge quality. By optimising the processing parameters, the residual surface roughness could be reduced below the pristine surface R-a = 0.8 mu m. The debris produced consists mainly of single crystal nanoparticles of alumina with diameters from 20 urn to 1 mu m with an average diameter of 300 nm. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.