A method for laser material processing includes generating a first pulsed laser beam that forms a first focus zone, and processing the material with the first pulsed laser beam in order to produce first modifications. The first modifications form a shielding surface. The method further includes generating a second pulsed laser beam that forms a second focus zone, which is formed in elongated fashion along a second focus zone axis and is formed by constructive interference of laser radiation that passes at an angle toward the second focus zone axis. The method further includes processing the material with the second pulsed laser beam to produce second modifications in a second section of the material. At least one part of the laser radiation passes at the angle toward the second focus zone axis impinges on the shielding surface.

This application relates to a laser drilling device. The device may include a variable focus module configured to vary a focal length of a laser beam. The device may also include an optical axis moving unit configured to, when an optical axis at a time point at which the laser beam passes through the variable focus module is incident is referred to as a reference optical axis, emit the laser beam by being moved by a predetermined distance with respect to the reference optical axis. The device may further include a first driving unit configured to rotate the optical axis moving unit, and a first focusing lens configured to focus the laser beam passing through the optical axis moving unit. A surface of a workpiece is drilled while rotating the optical axis moving unit by the first driving unit and gradually changing the focal length of the laser beam.

A laser system is configured for providing a laser line (L) in a working plane (WP) for line illumination of an object. The laser line (L) extends in a first direction (x) over a significant length and in a second direction (y) over a small extent. The laser system includes a laser source for providing a laser beam as basis for an elongated input laser beam propagating along a propagation direction (z), and a homogenization and focusing unit for homogenizing the elongated laser beam to form the laser line (L). The laser system is, for example, suitable for providing a laser line (L) that can be stitched to another laser line (L′) of another laser system.

The invention relates to a beam forming lens system for machining material using a laser beam, comprising a two-dimensional axicon array (10) featuring a plurality of microaxicons (11) for creating an annular laser beam intensity profile, the microaxicons (11) being provided with curved lateral surfaces (113). The invention also relates to an apparatus for machining material using a laser beam, comprising a beam forming lens system of said type and a focusing lens system (15) for focusing the laser beam onto a workpiece (18). The beam forming lens system is designed to create the annular laser beam intensity profile in a focal plane (F) of the focusing lens system (15).

A beam-forming and deflecting optical system for a laser machining device includes at least two optical elements, which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the laser beam and which are formed by wedges with respective wedge angles, wherein at least one optical element is connected to a drive for the rotation of the optical element about the optical axis, whereby an optical wedge can be rotated relative to the at least one other optical wedge. Also a method for machining a workpiece uses a collimated laser beam. In order to achieve different shapes of the laser beam on the workpiece, each of the optical wedges, which are arranged one behind the other, in each case cover only a part of the laser beam.

A groove processing device (100) that forms a groove in a surface of an object using a laser beam includes: a light source device (11) that outputs the laser beam; a polygon mirror (10) that reflects the laser beam output from the light source device (11); and an optical system that is provided on an optical path of the laser beam reflected from the polygon mirror (10) and includes a condensing portion (13A) which transmits the laser beam reflected from one surface of the polygon mirror (10) so as to be focused on the surface of the object and a non-condensing portion (13B) which is provided outside the condensing portion (13A) and transmits the laser beam reflected from a corner portion, in which two adjacent surfaces of the polygon mirror (10) meet, so as not to be focused on the surface of the object.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed that comprises two or more lasers for precisely heating a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic feedstock and a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic workpiece in preparation for depositing and tamping the feedstock onto the workpiece. The system employs feedforward, a variety of sensors, and feedback to ensure that the feedstock and workpiece are properly heated.

A resin curing system provided by stereolithography (SLA) three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a pair of Risley prism for optical steering of laser energy to achieve improved resolution.

Additive manufacturing systems and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an additive manufacturing system includes a build surface, one or more laser energy sources configured to emit laser energy, an optical phased array operatively coupled to the one or more laser energy sources, and a Risley prism assembly comprising a plurality of wedge prisms. The optical phased array includes one or more phase shifters operatively coupled to the one or more laser energy sources and configured to control a phase of the laser energy. The optical phased array is configured to direct the laser energy towards the Risley prism assembly, and the Risley prism assembly is configured to direct the laser energy towards the build surface.

A laser marking system including a spatial light modulator (SLM) with a multi-pixel, linear array of is microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based diffractors, and methods of operating the same are disclosed. Generally, the system includes, in addition to the SLM, a laser operable to illuminate the SLM; imaging optics operable to focus a substantially linear swath of modulated light onto a surface of a workpiece, the linear swath including light from multiple pixels of the SLM, and a controller operable to control the SLM, laser and imaging optics to mark the surface of the workpiece to record a two-dimensional image thereon. In one embodiment, the diffractors include a number of electrostatically deflectable ribbons suspended over a substrate. In another, each diffractor is two-dimensional including an electrostatically deflectable first reflective operable to brought into optical interference with light reflected from a second reflective surface on a faceplate, or an adjacent diffractor.