A laser cutting head includes a controllable collimator with movable collimator lenses for controlling beam diameter and/or focal point location. The laser cutting head may be used in a laser cutting system with a control system for controlling the position of the movable collimator lenses. The lenses may be moved, for example, to adjust the beam spot size for cutting different types of material or material thicknesses. The lenses may also be moved to adjust a focal point back to the workpiece after changing the distance of the laser cutting head relative to the workpiece.

A laser cutting head includes a controllable collimator with movable collimator lenses for controlling beam diameter and/or focal point location. The laser cutting head may be used in a laser cutting system with a control system for controlling the position of the movable collimator lenses. The lenses may be moved, for example, to adjust the beam spot size for cutting different types of material or material thicknesses. The lenses may also be moved to adjust a focal point back to the workpiece after changing the distance of the laser cutting head relative to the workpiece.

A method of processing a transparent workpiece that includes directing a laser beam combination comprising a first beam and a second beam into the transparent workpiece simultaneously, the first beam passing through an impingement surface of the transparent workpiece at a first impingement location and the second beam passing through the impingement surface at a second impingement location. The first beam forms a first laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece and generates a first induced absorption to produce a first defect segment within the transparent workpiece, the first defect segment having a first chamfer angle and the second beam forms a second laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece and generates a second induced absorption to produce a second defect segment within the transparent workpiece, the second defect segment having a second chamfer angle, the second chamfer angle differing from the first chamfer angle.

A method of processing a transparent workpiece that includes directing a laser beam combination comprising a first beam and a second beam into the transparent workpiece simultaneously, the first beam passing through an impingement surface of the transparent workpiece at a first impingement location and the second beam passing through the impingement surface at a second impingement location. The first beam forms a first laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece and generates a first induced absorption to produce a first defect segment within the transparent workpiece, the first defect segment having a first chamfer angle and the second beam forms a second laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece and generates a second induced absorption to produce a second defect segment within the transparent workpiece, the second defect segment having a second chamfer angle, the second chamfer angle differing from the first chamfer angle.

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 laser processing apparatus emits a laser light with a part of a focusing region being on an object to form a modified region along a virtual plane inside the object. The laser processing apparatus includes a support portion, an emission portion that emits the laser light onto the object, a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the support portion and the emission portion so that the part of the focusing region moves along the virtual plane inside the object, and a controller. The emission portion includes a shaping portion that shapes the laser light such that the shape of the part of the focusing region in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the laser light has a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction is a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the part of the focusing region.

The present disclosure relates to a beam analysis device for determining a light beam state, e.g., determining the focal position of a light beam, where the device has a partial beam imaging device having at least one first selection device for forming a first partial beam from a first partial aperture region of the first measurement beam, and an imaging device for imaging the first partial beam for generating a first beam spot onto a detector unit having a spatially-resolving detector. The beam analysis device also can have an evaluation unit for processing the signals of the detector unit, for determining a lateral position (a.sub.1) of the first beam spot, and for determining changes in the lateral position (a.sub.1, a.sub.1′) of the first beam spot over time. An optical system for focal position control with a laser optics and with a beam analysis device. Additionally, the disclosure relates to a corresponding beam analysis method and methods for focal position control of a laser optics and for focal position tracking of a laser optics.

The present disclosure relates to a beam analysis device for determining a light beam state, e.g., determining the focal position of a light beam, where the device has a partial beam imaging device having at least one first selection device for forming a first partial beam from a first partial aperture region of the first measurement beam, and an imaging device for imaging the first partial beam for generating a first beam spot onto a detector unit having a spatially-resolving detector. The beam analysis device also can have an evaluation unit for processing the signals of the detector unit, for determining a lateral position (a.sub.1) of the first beam spot, and for determining changes in the lateral position (a.sub.1, a.sub.1′) of the first beam spot over time. An optical system for focal position control with a laser optics and with a beam analysis device. Additionally, the disclosure relates to a corresponding beam analysis method and methods for focal position control of a laser optics and for focal position tracking of a laser optics.