In various embodiments, one or more optical elements are utilized to alter the numerical aperture of a radiation beam received from an optical fiber in order to accommodate the properties of a downstream collimator within a laser delivery head.

In various embodiments, one or more optical elements are utilized to alter the numerical aperture of a radiation beam received from an optical fiber in order to accommodate the properties of a downstream collimator within a laser delivery head.

A method includes depositing a plurality of dopant particles within a predetermined region of a transparent material. The method also includes focusing a laser beam along an optical axis to a focal region that overlaps with at least a portion of the predetermined region. The focal region can irradiate at least a first dopant particle of the plurality of dopant particles. The method further includes adjusting a parameter of the laser beam to generate a plasma configured to form an inclusion within the transparent material. The method additionally includes scanning the focal region along a path within the transparent material to elongate the inclusion generally along the path.

A method includes depositing a plurality of dopant particles within a predetermined region of a transparent material. The method also includes focusing a laser beam along an optical axis to a focal region that overlaps with at least a portion of the predetermined region. The focal region can irradiate at least a first dopant particle of the plurality of dopant particles. The method further includes adjusting a parameter of the laser beam to generate a plasma configured to form an inclusion within the transparent material. The method additionally includes scanning the focal region along a path within the transparent material to elongate the inclusion generally along the path.

A laser machining method able to effectively satisfy cutting quality required on one side of a cutting spot of a workpiece. A laser machining method for cutting a workpiece W by using a machining head able to emit a laser beam and an assist gas coaxially and non-coaxially includes: preparing a machining program specifying, for the workpiece W, a cutting line, and a first region and a second region on both sides of the cutting line where cutting quality requirements are different; and maintaining a state in which a center axis of the assist gas is shifted from an optical axis of the laser beam toward the first region in response to the difference in the cutting quality requirements during the cutting between the first region and the second region along the cutting line in accordance with the machining program.

A laser machining method able to effectively satisfy cutting quality required on one side of a cutting spot of a workpiece. A laser machining method for cutting a workpiece W by using a machining head able to emit a laser beam and an assist gas coaxially and non-coaxially includes: preparing a machining program specifying, for the workpiece W, a cutting line, and a first region and a second region on both sides of the cutting line where cutting quality requirements are different; and maintaining a state in which a center axis of the assist gas is shifted from an optical axis of the laser beam toward the first region in response to the difference in the cutting quality requirements during the cutting between the first region and the second region along the cutting line in accordance with the machining program.

An in-fiber beam scanning system may comprise an input fiber to provide a beam, a feeding fiber comprising an imaging bundle with multiple cores embedded in a first cladding that is surrounded by a second cladding, and an in-fiber beam shifter that comprises a first multibend beam shifter coupled to the input fiber, a graded index fiber following the first multibend beam shifter, and a second multibend beam shifter following the graded index fiber and coupling into the feeding fiber. In some implementations, the first multibend beam shifter is actuated by a first amount and the second multibend beam shifter is actuated by a second amount to shift the beam in two dimensions and deliver the beam into one or more target cores in the imaging bundle.

Laser annealing apparatus includes a plurality of frequency-tripled solid-state lasers, each delivering an output beam of radiation at a wavelength between 340 nm and 360 nm. Each output beam has a beam-quality factor (M.sup.2) greater of than 50 in one transverse axis and greater than 20 in another transverse axis. The output beams are combined and formed into a line-beam that is projected on a substrate being annealed. Each output beam contributes to the length of the line-beam.

Laser annealing apparatus includes a plurality of frequency-tripled solid-state lasers, each delivering an output beam of radiation at a wavelength between 340 nm and 360 nm. Each output beam has a beam-quality factor (M.sup.2) greater of than 50 in one transverse axis and greater than 20 in another transverse axis. The output beams are combined and formed into a line-beam that is projected on a substrate being annealed. Each output beam contributes to the length of the line-beam.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include providing a powder bed and directing a shaped laser beam pulse train consisting of one or more pulses and having a flux greater than 20 kW/cm.sup.2 at a defined two dimensional region of the powder bed. This minimizes adverse laser plasma effects during the process of melting and fusing powder within the defined two dimensional region.