Abstract: An apparatus for combining a plurality of coherent laser beams includes at least N?1 phase setting devices configured to set a respective phase (??n) of a respective one of the plurality of coherent laser beams, and a beam combination device configured to combine the plurality of coherent laser beams to form at least one combined laser beam. The beam combination device includes a microlens arrangement having at least two microlens arrays configured to form the at least one combined laser beam.

Abstract: A device includes a laser light source configured to generate a raw laser beam, and an optical arrangement configured to shape the raw laser beam into an illumination beam. The optical arrangement includes a beam transformer with an exit aperture, a first group of optical elements and a second group of optical elements for beam shaping. The beam transformer is configured to expand the raw laser beam in the direction of a long axis. The first group of optical elements comprises a homogenizer configured to homogenize the expanded raw laser beam. The second group of optical elements comprises at least one lens configured to image the exit aperture of the beam transformer. The first group of optical elements generates an intermediate image. The device further includes an imaging optical unit configured to image the intermediate image into the work plane.

Abstract: A device for generating a laser line on a work plane includes a first laser light source configured to generate a first raw laser beam, a second laser light source configured to generate a second raw laser beam, and an optical arrangement configured to reshape the first raw laser beam to form a first illumination beam with a first caustic and a first beam profile, and reshape the second raw laser beam to form a second illumination beam with a second caustic and a second beam profile. The first illumination beam and the second illumination beam are directed with overlap on the work plane and define a joint illumination direction. The first beam profile and the second beam profile jointly form the laser line on the work plane. The optical arrangement is configured to position the first caustic and the second caustic offset from one another in the illumination direction.

Abstract: A beam transformer for transforming an input laser beam into a transformed laser beam for use in laser systems for line illumination of an object includes a transparent planar optical element that has a front surface and a back surface, which extend substantially parallel to one another. The optical element has an entrance area and an exit area, and a plurality of reflective surfaces for beam deflection. The beam transformer further includes a cooling device provided at least on the front surface or the back surface of the optical element.

Abstract: An optical arrangement converts a laser beam into a line-type beam having a line-type beam cross-section that extends along a line direction with a non-vanishing intensity. The arrangement has: reshaping optics having: an input aperture through which the laser beam is radiated in; and an elongate output aperture, the reshaping optics being configured such that the laser beam radiated in is converted into a beam packet with beam segments that emerge through the output aperture; homogenization optics, which contribute to the conversion of the beam packet into the line-type output beam, and by which different beam segments are mixed and superposed along the line direction; and redirection optics configured to redirect the laser beam such that an incidence position/direction of laser beam on the input aperture is changed in dependence on time.

Abstract: An optical arrangement is provided for converting an input laser beam into a linear output beam propagating along a propagation direction and having in a working plane and a linear beam cross section extending along a line direction and having a non-vanishing intensity. The optical arrangement includes a reshaping optical unit having an input aperture for receiving the input laser beam and an output aperture, and is configured to convert the input laser bean into a beam packet having a multiplicity of beam segments that emerges through the output aperture. In addition, a homogenization optical unit is included having a first lens array and a second lens array arranged downstream of the first lens array in the beam path, the homogenization optical unit configured to mix different beam segments of the beam packet along the line direction.

Abstract: An optical arrangement converts an input laser beam into a line-like output beam, which propagates along a propagation direction and which has, in a working plane, a line-like beam cross section extending along a line direction. The optical system includes: a reshaping optical unit having an input aperture, through which the input laser beam is radiated, and an elongate output aperture, elongatedly extending along an aperture longitudinal direction, the reshaping optical unit converting the input laser beam radiated through the input aperture into a beam packet exiting through the output aperture; and a homogenization optical unit which converts the beam packet into the line-like output beam, different beam segments of the beam packet being intermixed and superimposed along the line direction. The aperture longitudinal direction extends in a manner rotated about the propagation direction by a non-vanishing angle of rotation with respect to the line direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining a plurality of coherent laser beams includes a splitting device for splitting an input laser beam into the plurality of coherent laser beams, a plurality of phase setting devices for adjusting a respective phase of one of the coherent laser beams, and a beam combining device for combining the coherent laser beams, which emanate from a plurality of grid positions of a grid arrangement, to form at least one combined laser beam. The beam combining device has a microlens arrangement with exactly one microlens array for forming the at least one combined laser beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining a plurality of coherent laser beams includes a splitting device configured to split an input laser beam into the plurality of coherent laser beams, a plurality of phase setting devices configured to adjust a respective phase of one of the plurality of coherent laser beams, and a beam combining device configured to combine the plurality of coherent laser beams, which emanate from a plurality of grid positions of a grid arrangement. The beam combining device includes a microlens arrangement having at least two microlens arrays. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to adjust a respective phase of a respective one of the plurality of coherent laser beams and/or vary a respective phase of a respective one of the plurality of coherent laser beams.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a beam path, passing, in succession, through multiple microlens arrays and a Fourier lens assembly. The microlens arrays have a uniform aperture of their microlenses, and the entirety of the microlens arrays has an effective focal length. The optical assembly further includes an adjustment mechanism, configured to adjust a mutual optical distance of at least some of the microlens arrays in the beam path, thereby setting the effective focal length of the entirety of the microlens arrays. The adjustment mechanism has multiple adjustment positions i=1, . . . , M wherein M is a natural number ?2, i is an adjustment position index, at which the term a 2 ? · f ML , i in each case essentially smoothly results in a natural number Ni. ? is a center wavelength, fML,i is an effective focal length fML of the entirety of the microlens arrays set by the adjustment position i.

Abstract: An optical arrangement converts an input laser beam into a line-like output beam, which propagates along a propagation direction and which has, in a working plane, a line-like beam cross section extending along a line direction. The optical system includes: a reshaping optical unit having an input aperture, through which the input laser beam is radiated, and an elongate output aperture, elongatedly extending along an aperture longitudinal direction, the reshaping optical unit converting the input laser beam radiated through the input aperture into a beam packet exiting through the output aperture; and a homogenization optical unit which converts the beam packet into the line-like output beam, different beam segments of the beam packet being intermixed and superimposed along the line direction. The aperture longitudinal direction extends in a manner rotated about the propagation direction by a non-vanishing angle of rotation with respect to the line direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining a plurality of coherent laser beams includes at least N?1 phase setting devices configured to set a respective phase (??n) of a respective one of the plurality of coherent laser beams, and a beam combination device configured to combine the plurality of coherent laser beams to form at least one combined laser beam. The beam combination device includes a microlens arrangement having at least two microlens arrays configured to form the at least one combined laser beam.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a beam path, passing, in succession, through multiple microlens arrays and a Fourier lens assembly. The microlens arrays have a uniform aperture of their microlenses, and the entirety of the microlens arrays has an effective focal length. The optical assembly further includes an adjustment mechanism, configured to adjust a mutual optical distance of at least some of the microlens arrays in the beam path, thereby setting the effective focal length of the entirety of the microlens arrays. The adjustment mechanism has multiple adjustment positions i=1, . . . , M wherein M is a natural number ?2, i is an adjustment position index, at which the term a 2 ? · f ML , i in each case essentially smoothly results in a natural number Ni. ? is a center wavelength, fML,i is an effective focal length fML of the entirety of the microlens arrays set by the adjustment position i.

Abstract: An optical arrangement converts laser beams from at least two laser light sources into a combination beam, which has a beam waist. The optical arrangement has: an optical beam guidance system having at least two separate optical channels for the laser beams, each of the optical channels having an optical terminator for exiting a respective channel output beam of the relevant one of the optical channels; and a deflecting body, which is associated with only one of the optical channels. The deflecting body is configured such that only the respective channel output beam of the associated one of the optical channels is captured and the captured channel output beam is deflected in a direction of a focus region.