A visible light laser system and operation for welding materials together. A blue laser system that forms essentially perfect welds for copper based materials. A blue laser system and operation for welding conductive elements, and in particular thin conductive elements, together for use in energy storage devices, such as battery packs.

There is provided a housing for a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target, the housing comprising: an inlet for receiving a fluid; a cavity for enclosing at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam within the marking head; an outlet for the fluid; a first channel defining a first fluid path from the inlet to the cavity; and a second channel defining a second fluid path from the cavity to the outlet. When the at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam is enclosed within the cavity, the housing and the at least one component further define a third channel between the first channel and the second channel. The first channel, second channel and third channel are configured to isolate the fluid from the optical path of the radiation beam within the head. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target.

There is provided a housing for a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target, the housing comprising: an inlet for receiving a fluid; a cavity for enclosing at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam within the marking head; an outlet for the fluid; a first channel defining a first fluid path from the inlet to the cavity; and a second channel defining a second fluid path from the cavity to the outlet. When the at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam is enclosed within the cavity, the housing and the at least one component further define a third channel between the first channel and the second channel. The first channel, second channel and third channel are configured to isolate the fluid from the optical path of the radiation beam within the head. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target.

The systems and methods disclosed herein utilize a beam-forming system configured to convert a Gaussian laser beam into an annular vortex laser beam having a relatively large depth of focus, which enables the processing of thick or stacked glass-based objects annular laser beam is defined in part by a topological charge m that defines an amount of rotation of the annular vortex beam around its central axis as it propagates annular vortex beam is used to form micro-holes in a glass-based object using either a one-step or a two-step method micro-holes formed by either process can be in the form of recesses or through-holes, depending on the application size of the micro-holes can be controlled by controlling the size of the annular vortex beam over the depth of focus range.

The systems and methods disclosed herein utilize a beam-forming system configured to convert a Gaussian laser beam into an annular vortex laser beam having a relatively large depth of focus, which enables the processing of thick or stacked glass-based objects annular laser beam is defined in part by a topological charge m that defines an amount of rotation of the annular vortex beam around its central axis as it propagates annular vortex beam is used to form micro-holes in a glass-based object using either a one-step or a two-step method micro-holes formed by either process can be in the form of recesses or through-holes, depending on the application size of the micro-holes can be controlled by controlling the size of the annular vortex beam over the depth of focus range.

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.

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.

A method for laser cutting a workpiece includes the steps of guiding a laser beam over the workpiece in a cutting direction so as to produce a cutting kerf with two cutting flanks and melting material on the workpiece at a cutting front that extends between the cutting flanks and adjoins at least one of the cutting flanks at an angle. The laser beam has a non-circular cross section and, at a front of the laser beam in the cutting direction, a continuous cutting beam contour corresponding to the cutting front.

A method for laser cutting a workpiece includes the steps of guiding a laser beam over the workpiece in a cutting direction so as to produce a cutting kerf with two cutting flanks and melting material on the workpiece at a cutting front that extends between the cutting flanks and adjoins at least one of the cutting flanks at an angle. The laser beam has a non-circular cross section and, at a front of the laser beam in the cutting direction, a continuous cutting beam contour corresponding to the cutting front.

Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along a cut path to cut through the part while maintaining the integrity of the support. Other systems and methods are disclosed herein.