Abstract: An optical system for shaping a laser beam includes a beam shaping element configured to receive the laser beam having a transverse input intensity profile and to impose a beam shaping phase distribution onto the laser beam. The optical system further includes a near field optical element, arranged downstream of the beam shaping element at a beam shaping distance and is configured to focus the laser beam into the focus zone. The imposed phase distribution results in a virtual optical image of the elongated focus zone located before the beam shaping element. The beam shaping distance corresponds to a propagation length of the laser beam within which the imposed phase distribution transforms the transverse input intensity profile into a transverse output intensity profile at the near field optical element.

Abstract: An optical system for shaping a laser beam includes a beam shaping element configured to receive the laser beam having a transverse input intensity profile and to impose a beam shaping phase distribution onto the laser beam. The optical system further includes a near field optical element, arranged downstream of the beam shaping element at a beam shaping distance and is configured to focus the laser beam into the focus zone. The imposed phase distribution results in a virtual optical image of the elongated focus zone located before the beam shaping element. The beam shaping distance corresponds to a propagation length of the laser beam within which the imposed phase distribution transforms the transverse input intensity profile into a transverse output intensity profile at the near field optical element.

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.