Abstract: A laser welding method includes providing a storage medium containing stored data about possible welding defects and associated repair welding parameters, welding a workpiece with a laser to produce weldings on the workpiece, monitoring the produced weldings for defective weldings, and, in response to detecting a defective welding from among the monitored weldings: comparing the defective welding with the stored data about possible welding defects; selecting repair welding parameters from among the associated repair welding parameters based on the comparison; and then performing a repair welding in a region of the detected defective welding in accordance with the selected repair welding parameters.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a laser system including a plurality of laser modules connected in series, there being connected in parallel to each laser module a bypass arrangement for bridging the corresponding laser module, includes determining a first laser power of the laser system with a plurality of laser modules operational; activating the bypass arrangement of at least one laser module so that at least one of the plurality of laser modules is bypassed; determining a second laser power of the laser system with the at least one of the plurality of laser modules bypassed; and monitoring the laser system based on a difference between the first and second laser power.

Abstract: An F/theta lens system for focusing high-power laser radiation in a flat image field including at least two lenses. The at least two lenses are arranged sequentially in a beam path, where the at least two lenses are made from a material that is stable when exposed to laser radiation having a power of more than 1 kW, and at least one of the lenses has at least one aspherical lens surface.

Abstract: A method for laser fusion cutting of a metal workpiece including applying a laser beam to the workpiece, where a kerf is melted in the workpiece by the laser beam and a laser beam diameter in a working point is configured to expel molten material from the kerf without cutting gas.

Abstract: An optical fiber is designed to transmit high-power laser radiation. The optical fiber includes a fiber core, and an inner fiber cladding surrounding the fiber core, where the inner fiber cladding is configured to carry the laser radiation in the fiber core. The optical fiber also includes a first outer fiber cladding surrounding the inner fiber cladding. The first outer fiber cladding has a capillary-free longitudinal section and has a smaller refractive index than the refractive index of the inner fiber cladding. The optical fiber includes an outermost fiber cladding surrounding the first outer fiber cladding. The outermost fiber cladding has scattering centers that surround the capillary-free longitudinal section, where the scattering centers scatter laser radiation emerging from the inner fiber cladding through the first outer fiber cladding along the capillary-free section.

Abstract: A laser light cable includes an optical fiber and a wire cladding that surrounds the optical fiber and is electrically conductive in the longitudinal direction of the laser light cable. The wire cladding includes a continuous layer of axially-adjacent wires formed from a wire item wrapped around the optical fiber. Axially-adjacent wires of the wire cladding abut in a light-proof manner.

Abstract: In an optical fiber (1) for the transmission of high-power laser radiation, with a fiber core (2), with an inner fiber cladding (3) surrounding the fiber core (2) for carrying the laser radiation in the fiber core (2), with a first outer fiber cladding (4) surrounding the inner fiber cladding (3), which has a smaller refractive index than the inner fiber cladding (3) as a result of longitudinally aligned air-filled capillaries (5), and with a second outer fiber cladding (6) surrounding the first outer fiber cladding (4), wherein the first outer fiber cladding (4) has a capillary-free longitudinal section (8), the second outer fiber cladding (6) has according to the invention scattering centers (7) at least in the region of the capillary-free longitudinal section (8) for scattering the laser radiation emerging from the inner fiber cladding (3) along the capillary-free longitudinal section (8).

Abstract: A diode laser structure includes multiple stripe emitters disposed next to each other, in which each of the stripe emitters is configured to emit, during operation, a laser beam having a corresponding beam parameter product with respect to a slow axis (BPPSA), where the stripe emitters are arranged such that the corresponding BPPSA of the laser beams successively decrease from a center of the diode laser structure towards a first edge of the diode laser structure and from the center of the diode laser structure towards a second edge of the diode laser structure, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The stripe emitters are oriented in a direction of the slow axis and are offset from one another in the direction of the slow axis.

Abstract: A lamp-pumped laser includes a pump light source for optically pumping a laser medium, such as a laser rod, a pump light sensor that detects the optical pumping power of the pump light source, and a control unit connected to receive an output signal from the pump light sensor and to increase the electric power of the pump light source on the basis of the detected optical pumping power and in correspondence with a predetermined rise characteristic of the optical pumping power.

Abstract: A diode laser apparatus includes a plurality of laser bars, each laser bar having an emission direction and a beam path. The laser bars are disposed along an arc, the emission directions of the laser bars are directed toward an inside of the arc, and a slow-axis direction of each laser bar is oriented along the arc.

Abstract: A system provides for remote communication between a service computer and a machine control at a machine. The system includes at least one central computer that is protected by a Firewall, a connection between the service computer and the central computer, and communication connections that are allocated to each of the machine controls. The at least one central computer includes a plurality of virtual computers. Each communication connection is associated with a virtual computer. The central computer can be connected to a particular machine control through the virtual computer that is set up for the communication connection allocated to the particular machine control.

Abstract: In a solid-state laser amplifier including at least two laser-active media in a common laser radiation field, the laser-active media do not form a hard aperture for the laser radiation field. Each of the laser-active media define a plane that is penetrated by the laser radiation field. The laser amplifier includes at least one focusing optical element disposed in the laser radiation field between two adjacent laser-active media. A focal length and a distance of the focusing optical element from the planes of the two adjacent laser-active media are selected such that the planes of the laser-active media are approximately mapped onto each other by a near-field far-field transformation.

Abstract: A controllable Pockels cell system has a switching unit that can apply voltage to the Pockels cell. The Pockels cell system also features a delay unit that enables setting of a precise time when voltage is applied or removed from the Pockels cell. This allows displacing in time the voltage pulse applied to the Pockels cell, in this manner also displacing in time the transmission pulse of the Pockels cell with an analyzer located behind the Pockels cell. Thus it is possible to individually control the amplitude of selected laser pulses. The switching unit can either be a simple push-pull circuit or a bridge circuit made from two push-pull circuits.

Abstract: In an optical fibre (1) for the transmission of high-power laser radiation, with a fibre core (2), with an inner fibre cladding (3) surrounding the fibre core (2) for carrying the laser radiation in the fibre core (2), with a first outer fibre cladding (4) surrounding the inner fibre cladding (3), which has a smaller refractive index than the inner fibre cladding (3) as a result of longitudinally aligned air-filled capillaries (5), and with a second outer fibre cladding (6) surrounding the first outer fibre cladding (4), wherein the first outer fibre cladding (4) has a capillary-free longitudinal section (8), the second outer fibre cladding (6) has according to the invention scattering centres (7) at least in the region of the capillary-free longitudinal section (8) for scattering the laser radiation emerging from the inner fibre cladding (3) along the capillary-free longitudinal section (8).

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to obtain a laser system with the highest possible power that operates as stably as possible. This object is achieved in the case of a laser system by the laser radiation field passing through at least two laser-active solid bodies of identical material disposed one following the other in the direction of its beam axis, by the pumping radiation guide being formed in such a way that it feeds into each of the solid bodies the first partial radiation field via one end face and the second partial radiation field via the other end face and by the pumping radiation guide being formed in such a way that a pumping power fed into each of the at least two solid bodies by the two partial radiation fields can be adjusted in such a way that the effects on the laser radiation field of thermal lenses produced by the pumping power in each of the at least two solid bodies are substantially identical.

Abstract: A device for focusing a laser beam includes a first telescopic configuration and a second telescopic configuration. The first telescopic configuration includes a collimating optical element for collimating the laser beam and a downstream focusing optical element for focusing the laser beam onto a focal point. The second telescopic configuration includes a first lens and a downstream second lens disposed in the divergent beam path upstream of the first telescopic configuration. The first and second lenses of the second telescopic configuration are moveable relative to each other in the beam direction.

Abstract: An F/theta lens system for focusing high-power laser radiation in a flat image field including at least two lenses. The at least two lenses are arranged sequentially in a beam path, where the at least two lenses are made from a material that is stable when exposed to laser radiation having a power of more than 1 kW, and at least one of the lenses has at least one aspherical lens surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically pumping a laser-active solid body with pumping light coupled into the solid body through an end surface of the solid body is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser-active solid body including an end surface though which pumping light is coupled into the solid body and a lateral surface through which pumping light exits the solid body, a reflector surrounding the laser-active solid body at a distance from the lateral surface of the solid body for reflecting light that exists the solid body back towards the solid body, and a surface for diffusing light that is coupled into the solid body through the end surface of the solid body and that exits the solid body through the lateral surface. The surface is selected from the group consisting of the lateral surface and a surface of the reflector.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to obtain a laser system with the highest possible power that operates as stably as possible. This object is achieved in the case of a laser system by the laser radiation field passing through at least two laser-active solid bodies of identical material disposed one following the other in the direction of its beam axis, by the pumping radiation guide being formed in such a way that it feeds into each of the solid bodies the first partial radiation field via one end face and the second partial radiation field via the other end face and by the pumping radiation guide being formed in such a way that a pumping power fed into each of the at least two solid bodies by the two partial radiation fields can be adjusted in such a way that the effects on the laser radiation field of thermal lenses produced by the pumping power in each of the at least two solid bodies are substantially identical.

Abstract: A device for focusing a laser beam includes a first telescopic configuration and a second telescopic configuration. The first telescopic configuration includes a collimating optical element for collimating the laser beam and a downstream focusing optical element for focusing the laser beam onto a focal point. The second telescopic configuration includes a first lens and a downstream second lens disposed in the divergent beam path upstream of the first telescopic configuration. The first and second lenses of the second telescopic configuration are moveable relative to each other in the beam direction.