In various embodiments, laser emissions are steered into different regions of an optical fiber, and/or into different optical fibers, in a temporal pattern such that an output has different spatial output profiles. The temporal pattern has a frequency sufficient such that a workpiece is processed by an effective output shape combining the different spatial output profiles.

A laser processing method includes a first step of emitting measurement laser light of a first wavelength from the reference surface side to a reference object having a reference surface of which reflectance for the first wavelength is known to obtain a reference light amount as a reflected light amount of the measurement laser light on the reference surface, a second step of emitting the measurement laser light from the first surface side to the object to be processed to obtain a first light amount as a reflected light amount of the measurement laser light on the first surface, and a third step of, after the first step and the second step, calculating a reflectance of the first surface for the first wavelength based on a reflectance of the reference object, the reference light amount, and the first light amount.

A laser processing method includes a first step of emitting measurement laser light of a first wavelength from the reference surface side to a reference object having a reference surface of which reflectance for the first wavelength is known to obtain a reference light amount as a reflected light amount of the measurement laser light on the reference surface, a second step of emitting the measurement laser light from the first surface side to the object to be processed to obtain a first light amount as a reflected light amount of the measurement laser light on the first surface, and a third step of, after the first step and the second step, calculating a reflectance of the first surface for the first wavelength based on a reflectance of the reference object, the reference light amount, and the first light amount.

A functional member includes: a plurality of microneedles on a surface. Further, the microneedles adjacent to each other are spaced apart by a pitch ranging from 1 to 500 m, and the microneedles have a diameter ranging from 0.25 to 250 m and have a height ranging from 5 to 200 m.

A functional member includes: a plurality of microneedles on a surface. Further, the microneedles adjacent to each other are spaced apart by a pitch ranging from 1 to 500 m, and the microneedles have a diameter ranging from 0.25 to 250 m and have a height ranging from 5 to 200 m.

A method (and structure) includes performing an initial partial anneal of a metal interconnect overburden layer for semiconductor devices being fabricated on a chip on a semiconductor wafer. Orientation of an early recrystallizing grain at a specific location on a top surface of the metal overburden layer is determined, as implemented and controlled by a processor on a computer. A determination is made whether the orientation of the early recrystallizing grain is desirable or undesirable.

A method (and structure) includes performing an initial partial anneal of a metal interconnect overburden layer for semiconductor devices being fabricated on a chip on a semiconductor wafer. Orientation of an early recrystallizing grain at a specific location on a top surface of the metal overburden layer is determined, as implemented and controlled by a processor on a computer. A determination is made whether the orientation of the early recrystallizing grain is desirable or undesirable.

A laser control device includes a processor configured to control, when a control circuit of a laser device detects occurrence of an abnormality in a laser oscillator or a laser optical system and stops laser output from the laser oscillator, the control circuit based on a result of determining whether to enable or disable re-outputting of laser light from the laser oscillator by inputting, to a classifier, input data being at least a part of environmental data and state data about the laser device in a predetermined period including a stop time of laser output. Then, the state data and the input data in the predetermined period include at least one of time-series data about a light amount of laser light and time-series data about a light amount of return light propagating in a direction opposite to a direction of the laser light in the predetermined period.

A method of laser welding a steel substrate and a ductile iron substrate is disclosed along with a laser welded assembly that may be formed by practicing the disclosed method. The disclosed laser welding method involves forming a laser weld joint between the steel and ductile iron substrates. The laser weld joint includes a fusion zone comprised of austenite ferrous alloy that has a composition derived from intermixing molten portions of the steel and ductile iron substrates as part of the laser welding process. The austenite ferrous alloy that constitutes the fusion zone of the laser weld joint has a carbon content of 2 wt % or more and a nickel equivalent of 60% or more and can be achieved without preheating the steel and ductile iron substrates prior to welding or using a filler wire to introduce a foreign metal into the molten substrate material created by the laser beam.

A method of laser welding a steel substrate and a ductile iron substrate is disclosed along with a laser welded assembly that may be formed by practicing the disclosed method. The disclosed laser welding method involves forming a laser weld joint between the steel and ductile iron substrates. The laser weld joint includes a fusion zone comprised of austenite ferrous alloy that has a composition derived from intermixing molten portions of the steel and ductile iron substrates as part of the laser welding process. The austenite ferrous alloy that constitutes the fusion zone of the laser weld joint has a carbon content of 2 wt % or more and a nickel equivalent of 60% or more and can be achieved without preheating the steel and ductile iron substrates prior to welding or using a filler wire to introduce a foreign metal into the molten substrate material created by the laser beam.