A combined optical system for determining temperature of the surface of an object or material and its distance with respect to a predetermined reference point associated with the system includes an optical radiation source emitting optical probe radiation at a predetermined wavelength or in a predetermined wavelength range, a source control unit controlling switching of the source from an operative condition, in which it emits optical probe radiation, to an inoperative condition, in which it does not emit optical probe radiation, optical detectors acquiring scattered optical radiation and thermally emitted optical radiation from the surface of the object or material, and a processing unit determining the distance of the surface of the object/material based on scattered optical probe radiation when the source is operative, and the local temperature of the surface of the object/material on the basis of thermally emitted optical radiation when the source is inoperative.

A laser marking apparatus includes a blowing unit configured to blow gas onto a surface of a mold, a head configured to mark an identifier on the mold by applying laser light to the surface of the mold; and a control unit configured to cause the head to mark the identifier while the blowing unit blows the gas.

This disclosure describes laser machining head gas nozzles that have an exit opening for passage of a laser beam onto a workpiece; an annular gap surrounding the exit opening; and a sleeve disposed and guided displaceably within the annular gap for axial displacement between a rearward and a forward position. The sleeve projects beyond the exit opening at least in the forward position, and the sleeve is tiltably mounted in the annular gap.

The invention relates to a machining head (1) for laser machining machines, in particular for laser cutting machines, having an interface to a laser light source (3), preferably to fiber-coupled or fiber-based laser sources. Said laser sources are designed for more than 500 W of average output power in the near infrared region. The interface is preferably designed for coupling an optical waveguide (2) for the working laser beam (6). The machining head (1) also has a focusing optical unit (11) having preferably only one imaging lens. A deflecting assembly (9, 10) for at least one single deflection of the working laser beam (6) is arranged between the interface and the focusing optical unit (11). Said deflecting assembly (9, 10) is designed as a passive optical element that changes the divergence of the working laser beam (6) in dependence on power.

A method for removing a material from a surface of a substrate includes impinging a laser beam on the material during a first sweep to remove the material from the surface along a first line and impinging the laser beam on the material during a second sweep to remove the material from the surface along a second line adjacent to the first line. The first line includes first artifacts that form a first portion of an array of artifacts on the surface. The second line includes second artifacts that form a second portion of the array of artifacts on the surface. A first laser pulse of the laser beam corresponding with the second sweep is synchronized with a start of the second sweep when transitioning between the first line and the second line such that the start of the second sweep coincides with the first laser pulse.

Provided is a laser processing method including a first step of forming a first modified region along a cutting line by converging laser light on an object having a surface and a back surface with the back surface as an incident surface and moving a first converging point along the cutting line set to pass between an effective region and an ineffective region adjacent to each other while maintaining a distance between a surface and the first converging point at a first distance, and a second step of forming a second modified region along the cutting line by converging the laser light on the object with the back surface as the incident surface and moving a second converging point along the cutting line while maintaining a distance between the surface and the second converging point at a second distance larger than the first distance.

To optimize equipment and processes to enhance magnetic domain refinement efficiency and to enhance workability to improve processing capability, a method of refining a magnetic domain of a grain-oriented electrical steel plate includes zigzag controlling for transferring the steel plate without being inclined in right and left directions along a production line center, steel plate support roll position adjusting for controlling a position of the steel plate in up and down directions while supporting the steel plate, laser beam irradiating for irradiating a laser beam to a surface of the steel plate to melt the steel plate to form a groove in the surface of the steel plate, and removing for absorbing and removing radiant heat due to reflection of the laser beam irradiated to the surface of the steel plate during the laser beam irradiating.

The invention pertains to measuring, adjusting and/or controlling a distance between a machining head, particularly a laser machining head, and a workpiece, comprising a measurement light source, a beam splitter that splits the light of the measurement light source into a measurement light beam and a reference light beam, a reference arm, through which the reference light beam is guided, an optical system for coupling the measurement light beam into a processing beam path featuring a focusing lens, an optical device for superimposing the measurement light beam, and a measurement and evaluation unit.

Portable instruments for analyzing elemental composition of liquid and solid phase materials by laser induced ablation spectroscopy are disclosed. The optical path of a single pulsed laser beam in the instrument is directed to a position depending on the phase of the sample material. Liquid phase samples are aerosolized before streaming to an analysis zone where they are dissociated in a plasma plume. A wide range of physical and chemical characteristics of liquid materials can be analyzed by the instruments. A large number of sites within solid phase sample structures are analyzed using a movable x-y-z stage in the instrument and the results are displayed in a chemical map.

This disclosure describes laser machining head gas nozzles that have an exit opening for passage of a laser beam onto a workpiece; an annular gap surrounding the exit opening; and a sleeve disposed and guided displaceably within the annular gap for axial displacement between a rearward and a forward position. The sleeve projects beyond the exit opening at least in the forward position, and the sleeve is tiltably mounted in the annular gap.