Abstract: A superposition device includes four inputs, each respective input for entry of a respective one of four input beams, an output for exit of an output beam, a first combination device for coherent combination of a first input beam and a second input beam to form a first superposition beam, a second combination device for coherent combination of a third input beam and a fourth input beam to form a second superposition beam, and a third combination device for forming the output beam by coherent combination of the first superposition beam and the second superposition beam. The superposition device is configured to set both a polarization direction and a power of the output beam independently of one another based on relative phase positions of individual phases of the four input beams fed to the four inputs in relation to one another.

Abstract: A combination device includes at least two inputs and one or more outputs. Each input is for entry of a respective input beam. Each output is for exit of a respective output beam. The combination device is configured to form the respective output beam through a coherent combination of two input beams. The combination device is configured to set a polarization direction of the respective output beam based on a relative phase position of individual phases of the two input beams from which the respective output beam is formed through the coherent combination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for machining a workpiece, comprising the steps of introducing a plurality of adjacent modifications into the material of the workpiece by means of laser radiation, etching the material of the workpiece in a first etching operation with a first selectivity, in order to remove predominantly the material modified by the laser radiation, and, after completion of the first etching operation, etching the material of the workpiece in a second etching operation with a second selectivity, different from the first selectivity, in order to remove the webs left between the removed modified material.

Abstract: A laser machining system includes a laser radiation source for generating an input laser beam, and an optical arrangement for converting the input laser beam into an output laser beam for machining a workpiece. The optical arrangement includes a long-axis focusing optical unit for focusing a beam path along a long axis, a long-axis scanner for scanning the beam path with a long-axis scan direction component, a short-axis focusing optical unit for focusing the beam path along a short axis, and a short-axis scanner for scanning the beam path with at least one short-axis scan direction component. The laser machining system further includes an advancement device for advancing the workpiece relative to the optical arrangement, and a control device configured to synchronize the scanning of the beam path along the long-axis scan direction component with the scanning of the beam path along the short-axis scan direction component.

Abstract: A machining system for laser machining a workpiece includes a laser beam source for providing a plurality of coherent laser beams, a phase adjustment unit for adjusting a respective phase difference between the plurality of coherent laser beams, an amplifier for amplifying the plurality of coherent laser beams to form respective amplified coherent laser beams, a processing optic for combining the amplified coherent laser beams to form a machining laser beam and for applying the workpiece with the machining laser beam, a feed unit for controlling a position and/or an orientation and/or a movement status of the workpiece relative to the machining laser beam, a detection unit for determining a status of the feed unit, and a control unit configured to control the phase adjustment unit according to the status of the feed unit as determined by the detection unit.

Abstract: A processing optical unit for workpiece processing includes a birefringent polarizer configured to split at least one input laser beam into a pair of partial beams polarized perpendicularly to one another. The processing optical unit further includes a focusing optical unit arranged downstream of the birefringent polarizer in the beam path and configured to focus the pair of partial beams onto focus zones in a focal plane. The processing optical unit is configured to produce at least partly overlapping focus zones of the pair of partial beams.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining coherent laser beams to form at least one combined laser beam includes a phase setting device, and a gain device for amplifying the coherent laser beams to form amplified coherent laser beams. The amplified coherent laser beams are output coupled from the gain device. The apparatus further includes a control device for controlling the phase setting device based on a specified assignment rule in order to set a respective phase difference between the amplified coherent laser beams to specified target phase difference values, a measuring device for determining a respective actual phase difference value between the amplified coherent laser beams, and an optimization unit coupled to the control device and configured to optimize the assignment rule based on the actual phase difference values determined by the measuring device.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining a plurality of coherent laser beams to form at least one combined laser beam includes a phase setting device for setting a respective phase difference between the coherent laser beams, and a gain device for amplifying the coherent laser beams. The amplified coherent laser beams are output coupled from the gain device. The apparatus further includes a measuring device configured to measure a respective actual phase difference between one of the amplified coherent laser beams and a further one of the amplified coherent laser beams or between the one of the amplified coherent laser beams and at least one reference laser beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a laser beam can include a controllable spatial light modulator, a control device for controlling the light modulator, and a beam guiding optical unit, wherein the control device is configured to split a display plane of the light modulator into a plurality of display regions and to represent a first beam influencing structure in at least one first display region of the plurality of display regions and a second beam influencing structure in a second display region of the plurality of display regions, wherein the beam guiding optical unit is configured to cause the laser beam to interact along the direction of propagation thereof firstly with the first display region and then with the second display region.

Abstract: A spatial frequency filter device is for use with a laser beam. The device includes: a neutral region, which is configured to transmit or reflect the laser beam; and a deflecting region, which radially adjoins the neutral region and is configured to deflect beam components of the laser beam from a beam axis of the laser beam. The deflecting region has a constant portion, in which a deflecting effect on the beam components of the laser beam for each location in the constant portion is configured to be independent of a distance of a location from the neutral region. the deflecting region has a variation portion, in which the deflecting effect on the beam components of the laser beam is configured to vary, dependent on a distance from the neutral region.

Abstract: A combination device includes at least two inputs and one or more outputs. Each input is for entry of a respective input beam. Each output is for exit of a respective output beam. The combination device is configured to form the respective output beam through a coherent combination of two input beams. The combination device is configured to set a polarization direction of the respective output beam based on a relative phase position of individual phases of the two input beams from which the respective output beam is formed through the coherent combination.

Abstract: A superposition device includes four inputs, each respective input for entry of a respective one of four input beams, an output for exit of an output beam, a first combination device for coherent combination of a first input beam and a second input beam to form a first superposition beam, a second combination device for coherent combination of a third input beam and a fourth input beam to form a second superposition beam, and a third combination device for forming the output beam by coherent combination of the first superposition beam and the second superposition beam. The superposition device is configured to set both a polarization direction and a power of the output beam independently of one another based on relative phase positions of individual phases of the four input beams fed to the four inputs in relation to one another.

Abstract: A method for separating a workpiece includes removing material of the workpiece along a separation line by using a laser beam comprising ultrashort laser pulses of an ultrashort pulse laser. The material of the workpiece is transparent to a wavelength of the laser beam, and has a refractive index between 2.0 and 3.5. The method further includes separating the workpiece along a notch formed by the removal of the material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for dividing a transparent workpiece (1) by means of pulsed laser radiation (2) by way of creating a beam convergence zone (3) in the volume of the workpiece, in which the intensity of the laser radiation (2) exceeds a threshold value for non-linear absorption, wherein the beam convergence zone (3) and the workpiece (1) are moved relative to each other, thereby creating a two-dimensional weakening in the workpiece (1) extending along a predetermined separating line (4), and wherein the workpiece (1) is subsequently divided along the separating line (4). The invention proposes that by selecting the duration of the energy input generated by the non-linear absorption of the pulsed laser radiation and by spatial beam shaping, non-linear propagation of the laser radiation (2) in the volume (1) of the workpiece outside the beam convergence zone (3) is suppressed.

Abstract: An apparatus for influencing a laser beam from an ultrashort pulse laser includes a pulse-precise deflector unit configured to deflect the laser beam in at least one direction perpendicular to a beam propagation direction, a transformation optics arrangement having at least two components arranged downstream of the pulse-precise deflector unit. The transformation optics arrangement is configured to transform a spatial deflection and/or an angular deflection of the laser beam into the angular deflection and/or the spatial deflection, and/or transform the spatial deflection and the angular deflection inversely, by using a space-to-angle transformation and/or an angle-to-space transformation. The apparatus further includes a processing optical unit arranged downstream of the transformation optics arrangement and configured to guide the laser beam into an image-side focal plane of the processing optical unit.

Abstract: A device for machining a material using ultrashort laser pulses from a laser beam includes an input coupling system comprising an input coupling optical unit, a rotary system connected to the input coupling system and rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a machining optical unit connected to the rotary system and capable of being rotated together therewith and configured for guiding the laser beam into or onto the material to be machined. The input coupling optical unit is configured such that a laser beam is guided into a corresponding machining plane. A rotary optical unit of the rotary system and the machining optical unit are configured such that the corresponding machining plane is guided into a machining plane of the material to be machined. The device further includes a beam influencing system for positioning and/or shaping the laser beam in the corresponding machining plane.

Abstract: For material processing of a material, which is in particular for a laser beam to a large extent transparent, asymmetric shaped modifications are created transverse to the propagation direction of the laser beam. Thereby, the laser beam is shaped for forming an elongated focus zone in the material, wherein the focus zone is such that it includes at least one intensity maximum, which is transverse flattened in a flattening direction, or a transverse and/or axial sequence of asymmetric intensity maxima, which are flattened in a sequence direction. After positioning the focus zone in the material, a modification is created and the material and the focus zone are moved relative to each other in the or across to the flattening direction or in the or across to the sequence direction for forming a crack along an induced preferred direction.

Abstract: A method for severing an at least partially transparent material includes focusing ultrashort laser pulses, as individual laser pulses and/or as pulse trains, in the material so that a resulting modification zone elongated in a beam propagation direction enters the material and penetrates at least one surface of the material. Each pulse train comprises multiple sub-laser pulses, The method further includes introducing a plurality of material modifications along a severing line into the material via the laser pulses, and severing the material along the severing line, A pulse energy of the individual laser pulses or a sum of pulse energies of the sub-laser pulses is in a range from 500 ?J to 50 mJ. A length of the modification zone in the beam propagation direction is greater than a thickness of the material.

Abstract: A processing optical unit for workpiece processing includes a polarizer arrangement comprising a birefringent polarizer element for splitting at least one input laser beam into at least two partial beams each partial beam having one of two different polarization states, and a focusing optical unit arranged downstream of the polarizer arrangement in the beam path and configured to focus the partial beams onto at least two focus zones. The polarizer arrangement has a further optical element arranged downstream of the birefringent polarizer element in the beam path and configured to change an angle and/or a distance of at least one of the partial beams relative to an optical axis of the processing optical unit.

Abstract: A method for producing a light deflection structure includes the steps of: a) producing a first plurality of interaction regions, in which at least one laser beam interacts with the substrate material along a first path with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions, b) producing a second plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions along a second path offset with respect and with a spatial overlap with the first path, c) optionally producing a further plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the further interaction regions along a further path offset with respect to and with a spatial overlap with the path used immediately before, and d) optionally carrying out step c) multiple times. The method also includes producing type II modifications of the substrate material, and changing at least one process parameter from one beam path to another beam path.