Abstract: A method for drilling a shallow-angled hole through a thermal barrier coated component, in accordance with one aspect thereof, includes a step of applying a pulse laser beam with a first setting to drill a section of the hole substantially within a thermal barrier coating of the component. A further step is conducted to apply the pulse laser beam with a second setting through the initiated hole to further drill through a remainder of the component to complete the formation of the hole extending through the component.

Abstract: There are a multiplicity of methods of making through-holes. In particular in the production of a multiplicity of film-cooling holes, as in gas turbine blades or combustion chamber elements, small time advantages are also important when making a hole. The method according to the invention, to make the hole close to the final contour in each case in sections in a top and a bottom region in order to then produce the final contour with other laser parameters, achieves time advantages.

Abstract: A laser machining apparatus, including: a laser light source; a transparent member that is set on an optical path of a laser beam and transmits the laser beam; a contact type temperature difference sensor, set on a surface of the transparent member outside an irradiation range of the laser beam, for detecting a temperature difference between a surface of the transparent member, which is spaced apart from a center of the transparent member by a first distance, and another surface of the transparent member, which is spaced apart from the center of the transparent member by a second distance larger than the first distance; and a controller correcting a focal position based on the temperature difference detected by the contact type temperature difference sensor to stabilize a beam diameter of the laser beam condensed onto a machining object.

Abstract: In an aberration-correcting method according to an embodiment of the present invention, in an aberration-correcting method for a laser irradiation device 1 which focuses a laser beam on the inside of a transparent medium 60, aberration of a laser beam is corrected so that a focal point of the laser beam is positioned within a range of aberration occurring inside the medium. This aberration range is not less than n×d and not more than n×d+?s from an incidence plane of the medium 60, provided that the refractive index of the medium 60 is defined as n, a depth from an incidence plane of the medium 60 to the focus of the lens 50 is defined as d, and aberration caused by the medium 60 is defined as ?s.

Abstract: A laser beam processing machine comprising a laser beam application means for applying a laser beam to a workpiece held on a chuck table, a processing-feed means, an indexing-feed means, a processing-feed amount detection means for detecting the amount of feed, an indexing-feed amount detection means, and a control means, wherein the condenser constituting the laser beam application means comprises an elliptic spot forming means for forming a focal spot into an elliptic shape and a focal spot turning means for turning the elliptic focal spot on an optical axis at the center thereof; and the control means comprises a storage means for storing the X, Y coordinate values of a processing line formed on the workpiece, obtains the X, Y coordinate values of the current position of a laser beam application position based on detection signals from the processing-feed amount detection means and the indexing-feed amount detection means, and controls the focal spot turning means to ensure that the long axis of the focal

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for laser marking a stainless steel specimen with commercially desirable marks. The method includes providing a laser processing system having a laser, laser optics and a controller with pre-determined laser pulse parameters, selecting the pre-determined laser pulse parameters associated with the desired mark, and directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired marks including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 and less than about 1000 picoseconds.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a first beam cropper configured to crop a portion of a radiation pulse having a first spot size to form an intermediate cropped radiation pulse having an intermediate cropped spot with an intermediate cropped spot size less than the first spot size; and a second beam cropper configured to crop the intermediate cropped spot to form a second cropped radiation pulse having a second cropped spot with a second cropped spot size less the intermediate cropped spot size.

Abstract: An irradiating apparatus for irradiating an irradiation object with beam light emitted from a semiconductor laser, wherein letting w be a radius of a beam for irradiating the irradiation object, ? be a rate of individual difference in angle of divergence of the semiconductor laser, and ? be beam wavelength of the semiconductor laser, a focal position of an irradiating optical system interposed between the semiconductor laser and the irradiation object is defocused such that a distance z between the focal position and the irradiation object is z = ? · w 2 ? · 1 - ? 2 ( 1 - ? 2 ) 2 + 1 .

Abstract: A method comprises spatially selectively irradiating in a predetermined pattern with an output beam of a laser system an interface between a polymer substrate and a metal film on the polymer substrate. The polymer substrate is substantially transparent to the output beam of the laser system; the metal film absorbs a substantial fraction of the output beam. Laser system output comprises a sequence of pulses. Beam size at the polymer/metal interface, pulse energy, and pulse duration are selected so that each pulse from the laser system that irradiates an area of the polymer/metal interface substantially completely removes by ablation the metal film from at least a portion of the irradiated area without substantially altering the surfaces or bulk of the polymer substrate and without leaving on the polymer substrate or on remaining areas of the metal film substantial residue of metal that resolidified after being melted by the laser irradiation.

Abstract: A simple method is developed in the present invention for fabricating periodic ripple microstructures on the surface of an ITO film by using single-beam femtosecond laser pulses. The periodic ripple microstructures composed of self-organized nanodots can be directly fabricated through the irradiation of the femtosecond laser, without scanning. The ripple spacing of ˜800 nm, ˜400 nm and ˜200 nm observed in the periodic ripple microstructures can be attributed to the interference between the incident light and the scattering light of the femtosecond laser from the surface of the ITO film. In the present invention, the self-organized dots are formed by the constructive interference formed in the surface of the ITO film, where includes higher energy to break the In—O and Sn—O bonds and then form the In—In bonds. Therefore, the dots have higher surface current greater than other disconstructive regions of the ITO film.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for distributing laser energy are disclosed herein. A method configured in accordance with one embodiment includes establishing communication with a laser energy source configured to dispense laser energy, and enabling the laser energy source to dispense laser energy by transferring laser energy credits to the laser energy source. The transferred laser energy credits correspond to an amount of enabled laser energy.

Abstract: During welding, frequently cracks develop at the end of the weld seam. A method is provided in which the power is reduced at the end of the weld seam, reducing the development of cracks. For the method, a welding appliance is used wherein the welding appliance may be a laser.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring images to a wooden support includes a component for acquiring and/or creating an image, at least one source of a laser beam, and a component for moving, either in rotation and/or translation, the laser beam relative to the wooden support, or vice versa, as well as focusing the laser beam relative to the support. At least one adjustment unit is provided for the emission of the laser beam, and at least one control unit controls the moving and focusing components. The information of the image is converted to be transferred into instructions for the adjustment unit and control unit. The adjustment unit adjusts the emission of the laser beam by directly varying the pumping of the active material and/or by varying the operation of a modulator placed within the resonant cavity of the laser source.

Abstract: Provided is a laser lap welding method including the steps of: preparing two steel sheets, at least one of which is a galvanized steel sheet, in such a manner that the steel sheets are directly lapped one over the other with a galvanized layer of the galvanized steel sheet located as an interface of the steel sheets; and irradiating an outer surface of any one steel sheet in the lap region of the two steel sheets with a laser beam under predetermined power and speed conditions, so that an elongated hole is formed in a molten pool extending backward from a laser irradiation position at least in the steel sheet on the outer surface side. Welding of the two steel sheets is performed while venting metal vapor produced by the laser irradiation through the elongated hole backwards in a laser travelling direction and towards a laser irradiation source.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. An energy source for the optical system is typically a plurality of lasers, which are combined to form the energy field.

Abstract: Methods and systems for fiber-based near-field material processing are disclosed, including generating electromagnetic radiation from a USP laser coupled to a central processing unit; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to an acousto-optic modulator; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to a beam delivery system; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to a beam delivery/collection fiber; using the electromagnetic radiation to generate a plasma on a target mounted to an adjustable stage coupled to the central processing unit; coupling the electromagnetic radiation from the plasma to the beam delivery/collection fiber; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to an optical fiber bundle; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to a spectrum analysis unit; coupling the electromagnetic radiation to a detector; and coupling the detector to the central processing unit; wherein the central processing unit uses the output from the detector as feedback in making adjustments to the USP laser and the adjustable stage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser engraving a three-dimensional pattern on a surface. A moveable laser head having a plurality of laser beams is provided. Preferably, the number of laser beams is four. Each beam is capable of being individually adjustably controllable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a swaging in a workpiece, wherein a laser beam is guided through a beam guide over the surface of the workpiece in order to produce said swaging. The focal position of the laser beam is controlled in such a way that it can be varied at least temporarily in depth direction of the swaging. A device for the production of a swaging (6) in a workpiece (5) has a laser light source (1) for producing a laser beam for removing material, a focus adjustment device (3) for adjusting the focal position of the laser beam, a beam guide (4) for guiding the laser beam (20) over the surface of the workpiece and a control device (7) for controlling the focus adjustment device (3) and the beam guide (4). The control device is designed to control the focal position of the laser beam by means of the focus adjustment device (3) at least temporarily to variable values in depth direction of the swaging.

Abstract: A system and method of laser machining rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation, and translates the workpiece in a first direction along the axis of rotation. A mask defining a shape is translated in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a laser beam is directed at the mask such that the laser beam is scanned across the mask and at least a portion of the laser beam passes through the mask and toward the workpiece. The mask and the workpiece are translated with coordinating opposing motion to cause the laser beam to be imaged onto the workpiece with a shape or pattern corresponding to a shape or pattern defined by the mask. Rotation of the workpiece and the shape of the image on the workpiece produce different vectorial intensities such that material of the workpiece is removed to different respective depths to form a three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: A device for cutting a structure including nanotubes, including: a mechanism to polarize linearly laser pulses emitted in a direction of the structure, wherein a duration of the laser pulses is roughly between 1 femtosecond and 300 femtoseconds; and a mechanism to focus the linearly polarized laser pulses on the structure.

Abstract: A laser processed hole is formed in a workpiece. The workpiece has a first member formed of a first material bonded to a second member formed of a second material. The laser processed hole extends through the first member to the second member. The wavelength of plasma light generated by applying a pulsed laser beam to the first member and the second member is detected. Application of the laser beam is continued at a first power until the plasma light intensity generated from only the first member is decreased to reach a predetermined value. The laser beam is applied at a second power which is lower than the first power so as to not generate cracks in the first member when the plasma light intensity has reached the predetermined value. Application of the plasma laser beam stops when plasma light generated from the second member is detected.

Abstract: A process produces web sections from a flexible web material. The flexible web material is provided with tear-off lines at the distance of the length (L) of the web sections to be formed, which tear-off lines weaken the web material but do not bring about a complete separation of the web sections from the web material. The web sections are separated from the web material along the tear-off lines by tearing. The web material comprises a fabric made of small stretched plastic bands, and the tear-off lines are produced by laser beam processing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a laser annealing method includes: detecting an intensity distribution of a laser light formed as a line beam by a line beam optical system; dividing width in short axis direction of the line beam in the detected intensity distribution by number of times of the irradiation per one site and partitioning the width; and calculating increment of crystal grain size of a non-crystalline thin film for energy density corresponding to wave height of the partitioned intensity distribution, and summing the increments by number of times of pulse irradiation, when energy density of the laser light is larger than a threshold, the crystal grain size of the non-crystalline thin film taking a downward turn at the threshold, the increment summed before the energy density exceeds the threshold being set to zero.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming apertures in microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes directing a laser beam toward a microfeature workpiece to form an aperture and sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece in real time. The method can further include determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture and controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a second aperture in the microfeature workpiece.

Abstract: An improved method for singulation of electronic substrates into dice uses a laser to first form cuts in the substrate and then chamfers the edges of the cuts by altering the laser parameters. The chamfers increase die break strength by reducing the residual damage and removes debris caused by the initial laser cut without requiring additional process steps, additional equipment or consumable supplies.

Abstract: In the present invention, each laser light emitted from a plurality of lasers is divided, and laser light including at least one laser light that is emitted from a different laser and that has different energy distribution is synthesized with another such laser light, or laser light including at least one laser light that has different energy distribution is synthesized with another such laser light through a convex lens that is set at an angle to the direction each laser light travels, to form laser light having excellent uniformity in energy distribution.

Abstract: There is provided high power laser tools and laser heads that utilize total internal reflection (“TIR”) structures to direct the laser beam along a laser beam path within the TIR structure. The TIR structures may be a TIR prism having its hypotenuse as a TIR surface.

Abstract: An improved method for laser processing that prevents material redeposition during laser ablation but allows material to be removed at a high rate. In a preferred embodiment, laser ablation is performed in a chamber filled with high pressure precursor (etchant) gas so that sample particles ejected during laser ablation will react with the precursor gas in the gas atmosphere of the sample chamber. When the ejected particles collide with precursor gas particles, the precursor is dissociated, forming a reactive component that binds the ablated material. In turn, the reaction between the reactive dissociation by-product and the ablated material forms a new, volatile compound that can be pumped away in a gaseous state rather than redepositing onto the sample.

Abstract: A method of attaching a hub such as a breakaway hub to a catheter shaft includes inserting the catheter shaft into a strain relief component of the hub having one or more bosses extending radially away from the strain relief component of the hub. One or more polymeric sleeves are disposed over the strain relief component and are heat shrunk into place, followed by a laser welding process.

Abstract: A dual-beam laser cutting system uses laser beam polarization to output two identical laser beams. The dual identical laser beams are spaced appropriately to simultaneously cut a water thus increasing the laser cutting system's throughput as compared to a single-laser cutting system. In one implementation, the dual-beam laser cutting system 100 utilizes a beam expander 220, two half-wave plates 224, 238, a polarizing beam splitter 228, a mirror 236, and two lenses 234, 242 to provide two identical laser beams 202, 204 from a single laser source 214. The identical laser beams 202, 204 are tuned to have the same power, cross-sectional diameter, and polarization direction. One of the half-wave plates 224 is rotated to yield laser beams with the same power. The other half-wave plate 238 is rotated to yield laser beams with the same polarization direction.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a loading unit with an alignment mark configured to support a substrate, a laser beam generating unit configured to generate a laser beam toward the upper surface of the loading unit, a vision unit that causes the laser beam generating unit to irradiate the laser beam onto the substrate on the loading unit to form an alignment mark on the substrate and that generates corrected coordinate values based on the formed alignment mark on the substrate, a position detector located at the center of the loading unit to detect information about the laser beam generated by the laser beam generating unit, and a controller that controls an X-Y scanning mirror according to the corrected coordinate values, and controls power of the laser beam generated by the laser beam generating unit or the position of the loading unit according to the information detected by the position detector.

Abstract: Method for adjusting the throttling action of a valve comprising a valve body with at least one through-channel for a working medium, where the working medium is throttled by at least one valve disk which covers the throttle channel. By making use of the effect of the heat of a laser beam to change the elastic pretension of the disk, deviations from a predetermined throttling action are minimized. The laser beam is used to cause partial local melting in the minimum of one valve disk, the heat thus introduced having the effect of working at least one defined bending axis into the disk.

Abstract: A laser beam irradiation apparatus includes a laser beam oscillation unit including a pulse laser beam oscillator for oscillating a pulse laser beam and a cycle frequency setting unit for setting the cycle frequency, an acousto-optic deflection unit for deflecting the optical axis of the pulse laser beam oscillated from the laser beam oscillation section, and a control unit for controlling the acousto-optic deflection unit. The control unit outputs a driving pulse signal having a predetermined time width including a pulse width of the pulse laser beam oscillated from the pulse laser beam oscillator to the acousto-optic deflection unit based on the cycle frequency setting signal from the cycle frequency setting section.

Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided with display structures such as glass and polymer layers in a liquid crystal display. The glass layers may serve as substrates for components such as a color filter layer and thin-film transistor layer. The polymer layers may include films such as a polarizer film and other optical films. During fabrication of a display, the polymer layers and glass layers may be laminated to one another. Portions of the polymer layers may extend past the edges of the glass layers. Laser cutting techniques may be used to trim away excess portions of the polymer layer that do not overlap underlying portions of the glass layers. Laser cutting may involve application of an adjustable infrared laser beam.

Abstract: An electric storage battery including a jelly roll type electrode assembly having a mandrel. The mandrel includes a positive portion, a negative portion and a removable portion. The mandrel can be planar, having two faces with grooves on the positive and negative portions. The grooves are dimensioned to accommodate positive and negative feedthrough pins. The mandrel is welded to the feedthrough pins by using a laser beam incident on the opposite face of the mandrel from the face on which the grooves and pins are located. The laser beam melts the mandrel such that molten mandrel material fills the grooves welding the feedthrough pins in place. Electrodes are wrapped around the mandrel using the removable portion to wind the mandrel. The removable portion can be detached. The mandrel allows tighter wrapping of the jelly roll assembly and increasing battery miniaturization.

Abstract: A method of welding a noble metal tip of a spark plug to an electrode is provided. In the method of welding, in a waveform of a power of a laser beam according to a time of the laser welding, a power of a central portion thereof is smaller than those of both end portions thereof. In addition, the waveform of the power of the laser beam according to a time of the laser welding is a trapezoidal waveform which includes: a rising portion in which the power of the laser beam is gradually increased; a power maintaining portion in which the power of the laser beam after the rising portion is maintained uniform; and a falling portion in which the power of the laser beam after the power maintaining portion is gradually decreased.

Abstract: A process for reopening cooling-air holes by a laser in order to remove coat down is provided. A nanosecond laser is provided and used for reopening the holes, wherein pulse times between 1 ?s and 20 ?s and a pulse frequency between 20 kHz and 40 kHz provided by the nanosecond laser are used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing precision marks (28) for a metrological scale in the form of a stainless steel ribbon (10). A laser (21) is used to produce ultra-short pulses, which have a fluence at the ribbon such that ablation takes place. The laser light can be scanned via scanner (25) and the pitch of the marks (28) can be controlled. The ablative technique causes little thermal input and improves the accuracy of the scale.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for control of laser devices and safety features related to utilization of laser devices in substrate processing systems. In one embodiment, a system for processing a substrate is provided. The system includes a chamber having a processing volume, a first laser device to emit a beam at a first wavelength into the processing volume, and a second laser device to emit a beam at a second wavelength into the processing volume, wherein the second wavelength is different than the first wavelength, and the second laser device comprises a filter adapted to attenuate one or both of the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

Abstract: A system and method for precision cutting using multiple laser beams is described, The system and method includes a combination of optical components that split the output of a single laser into multiple beams, with the power, polarization status and spot size of each split beam being individually controllable, while providing a circularly polarized beam at the surface of a work piece to be cut by the laser beam. A system and method for tracking manufacture of individual stents is also provided.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for laser marking a stainless steel specimen with commercially desirable marks. The method includes providing a laser processing system having a laser, and laser optics and a controller with pre-determined laser pulse parameters, selecting the pre-determined laser pulse parameters associated with the desired mark, and directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired marks including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 and less than about 1000 picoseconds.

Abstract: A laser processing machine head, a laser processing machine head monitoring system, and a method of monitoring an optical element of a laser processing machine feature a light-transmissive optical element and an optical element holder defining a cavity in which the optical element is retained against rotation. A light source mounted to the holder directs a beam of light into the optical element through a peripheral surface of the optical element. A light receiver is responsive to light from the light source reflected through the optical element. Monitoring a signal from the light receiver allows a status of the optical element to be assessed.

Abstract: A processing information supply apparatus 10 is prepared for a laser processing apparatus for forming a modified region, which becomes a starting point of cutting, along a line to cut within an object to be processed by irradiating the object with laser light while locating a light-converging point within the object. The processing information supply apparatus 10 includes an object information input unit 12 for inputting processing object information on the object to be processed, a processing condition database 19 in which data on processing conditions corresponding to the processing object information is accumulated, a processing condition setting unit 16 for referring to the processing condition data in the database 19 and setting the processing condition for the object based on the processing object information, and a condition information output unit 13 for outputting processing condition information for the set processing condition.

Abstract: An optical device wafer processing method including a laser processed groove forming step of applying a laser beam for performing ablation to the front side or back side of a substrate of an optical device wafer along streets, thereby forming a laser processed groove as a break start point on the front side or back side of the substrate along each street, and a wafer dividing step of applying an external force to the optical device wafer after performing the laser processed groove forming step to thereby break the wafer along each laser processed groove, thereby dividing the wafer into individual optical devices. In performing the laser processed groove forming step, an etching gas atmosphere for etching a modified substance produced by applying the laser beam to the substrate is generated, whereby an etching gas in the etching gas atmosphere is converted into a plasma by the application of the laser beam to thereby etch away the modified substance.

Abstract: A welding apparatus for welding workpieces of high-temperature superalloys is provided. The welding apparatus includes a heat source for producing a heat input zone on the workpiece surface, a supplying device for supplying welding filler into the heat input zone and a transporting device for producing a relative movement between the heat source and the supplying device on the one hand and the workpiece surface on the other hand. The welding apparatus further includes a control unit with a control program, which carries out the relative movement in such a way that the welding power and the diameter of the heat input zone are set such that the cooling rate during the solidifying of the material is at least 8000 Kelvins per second.

Abstract: The present invention concerns itself with a dry, free of toxic chemicals, and thus, environmentally safe, mineral processing technique. It uses ore elements' specific heat differences as the basis for separating valuable minerals from ores. No EPA approval, no environmental pit and no expensive monitoring are required in order to practice the teachings of the present invention. Furthermore, the technique described herein is economically attractive since it is a low cost approach to mineral processing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a member separation apparatus includes a stage and a light source. The stage is configured to mount a workpiece. The workpiece includes a first member and a second member. The first member is transmissive to light in a wavelength region. The wavelength region includes a first wavelength. The second member contacts with the first member. The second member has a higher absorptance for light in the wavelength region than the first member. The light source generates laser light and irradiates the workpiece with the laser light. The laser light contains a component of the first wavelength and a component of a second wavelength. The second wavelength includes the wavelength region different from the first wavelength.

Abstract: Methods and systems for three dimensional large area welding and sealing of optically transparent materials are disclosed, including generating a beam of ultra-short pulses from an ultra-short pulsed laser; directing the beam to an acoustic-optic modulator to control the repetition rate of the beam; directing the beam to an attenuator after passing through the acoustic-optic modulator to control the energy of the beam; directing the beam to a focusing lens after passing through the attenuator to focus the beam between a top substrate and a bottom substrate in order to weld the top substrate to the bottom substrate, wherein the top substrate and the bottom substrate are in intimate contact; and controlling the position of the top substrate and the bottom substrate relative to the beam using a three-axis stage in order to weld the top substrate to the bottom substrate at different points. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for incorporating a structure into a surface of a workpiece that is transparent in a certain wavelength range. For this purpose the surface to be structured is brought into contact with a target surface containing a target material by means of a laser beam, the wavelength of which is within the certain wavelength range, energy is introduced at least at one position through the workpiece and into the boundary region of the surface to be structured and the target surface such that target material is deposited at the respective position in and/or on the surface to be structured. For this purpose a pulsed laser beam having a pulse repetition rate of more than 10 kHz is used, which is focused such that the focus is positioned on or under the target surface, wherein the laser beam has a power density in the focus of more than 2000 W/mm2. The invention further relates to a device for introducing a structure into a surface of a workpiece transparent in a certain wavelength range.

Abstract: It is desirable for the production of workpieces, which are sometimes produced by a rapid prototyping method, to be further automatable. To this end a device is provided having a laser for generating a laser beam in order to set a material, and a workpiece support which can be exposed directly to the laser. There is also provided an optical instrument for redirecting and deviating the laser beam so that the workpiece support can also be exposed indirectly to the laser. Material can therefore also be cured more easily in undercuts of workpiece blanks.