The controller executes a first process of moving a support portion so that inside the peripheral edge of an object, a focusing position moves along the peripheral edge, thereby forming a first modified region, and following the first process, executes a second process of moving the support portion so that the focusing position moves, thereby forming a second modified region The measurement data acquiring portion, at execution of the first process, acquires measurement data associated with position information on a position of the object. The controller, at execution of the second process, causes the driving portion to shift a position of the condenser lens, the position being along the direction of an optical axis, to an initial position based on the measurement data acquired in the first process, before or when the focusing position moves from outside of the object to inside thereof.

A control unit performs first processing of irradiating an object with laser light while relatively moving a first converging point and a second converging point along a first line, in a state where a distance between the first converging point and a second converging point is set as a first distance, and performs second processing of irradiating the object with the laser light while relatively moving the first converging point and the second converging point along a second line, in a state where the distance between the first converging point and the second converging point is set to a second distance smaller than the first distance.

An irradiation device for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include a beam generation device configured to generate an energy beam, an optical modulator including a micromirror array disposed downstream from the beam generation device, and a focusing lens assembly disposed downstream from the optical modulator. The micromirror array may include a plurality of micromirror elements configured to reflect a corresponding plurality of beam segment of the energy beam along a beam path incident upon the focusing lens assembly. The focusing lens assembly may include one or more lenses configured to focus the plurality of beam segments such that for respective ones of a plurality of modulation groups including a subset of micromirror elements, a corresponding subset of beam segments are focused to at least partially overlap with one another at a combination zone corresponding to the respective modulation group.

An irradiation device for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include a beam generation device that includes a plurality of laser diode arrays. Respective ones of the plurality of laser diode arrays may include a plurality of diode emitters respectively configured to emit an energy beam. The plurality of laser diode arrays may be longitudinally offset relative to one another, and the plurality of laser diode arrays may be laterally offset relative to one another.

A method for scribing transparent material with a laser is provided. The method includes providing relative movement between the laser and the transparent material, pulsing the laser at a first pulse repetition rate in a kHz range to establish a speed of scribing of the transparent material, and forming each of said first laser pulses with a series of second laser pulses having a second pulse repetition rate in a MHz range, wherein each of said second lasers pulses is formed from a series of third laser pulses having a third pulse repetition rate in a GHz range.

The illumination optical system includes a beam shaper which converts an intensity distribution of a laser beam in each of a short axis direction and a long axis direction, which is a Gaussian distribution, into an intensity distribution of a parallel beam on a modulation surface of the optical modulator in each of the short axis direction and the long axis direction, which is a top hat distribution. The modulation surface and an irradiated surface are optically conjugated with respect to the long axis direction by a third lens and a fourth lens. Further, the modulation surface and a front focus position of the fourth lens are optically conjugated with respect to the short axis direction by a first lens, a second lens, and the third lens. The fourth lens condenses a beam having a top hat distribution at the front focus position onto the irradiated surface.

A machine learning apparatus able to obtaining an optimal shift amount of an assist gas. The machine learning apparatus comprises a state-observation section configured to observe machining condition data included in a machining program given to the laser machine, and measurement data of a dimension of dross generated at a cutting spot of the workpiece when the machining program is executed, as a state variable representing a current state of an environment in which the workpiece is cut; and a learning section configured to learn the shift amount in association with cutting quality of the workpiece, using the state variable.

A process of forming a non-optically detectable authentication marking (210,320, 410,535) in a diamond (200,300). Authentication marking (210,320,410,535) is formed adjacent the outer surface of an article formed from a diamond material having intrinsic optical centers. Method includes the step of applying an image of predesigned authentication marking(210,320,410,535) to a region (201,310,530) of a diamond (200,300) at or adjacent the surface of the diamond (200,300) by way of a direct laser writing; wherein the fluorescence background of the diamond material from intrinsic optical center is suppressed by authentication marking(210,320, 410, 535) under fluorescent imaging, such that the non-optically detectable identifiable authentication marking (210,320,410,535) is viewable against the fluorescence background at the region (201,310,530) of the diamond (200,300) where the authentication marking (210,320,410,535) is applied.

A micromachining device that utilizes a solid state laser beam scanner to steer and scan laser beams onto a moveable stage. There are no moving parts as in the galvometric scanner devices in current use. The laser beam scanner has two components, a variable frequency signal generator that is electrically connected to at least one substantially transparent and partially conductive substrate plate (hereinafter plate) with a generally planar face thereon that has a series of quantum dots (of an arbitrary size but narrow size distribution) affixed with the plate, where each of the quantum dots possess an inducible dipole moment, and each of the quantum dots are in electrical contact with the plate, where the quantum dots undergo an excitation and successive recombination (or relaxation) by the input of magnetic, optical or electrical signals.

A laser processing device and a laser processing method are provided. The laser processing device includes: at least two lasers each configured to generate a laser beam; focusing members corresponding to the at least two lasers respectively and configured to adjust focus positions of at least two laser beams generated by the at least two lasers; and a beam combination member configured to receive the at least two laser beams whose focus positions have been adjusted, and output the at least two laser beams coaxially.