Method for monitoring a laser machining process and laser machining system therefor

A laser machining system, comprising:

• a laser machining head for irradiating a machining laser beam onto at least one workpiece to form a vapor capillary, said laser machining head including a first deflection device for deflecting said machining laser beam along a machining path within a first scan field on said workpiece;
• a measuring device for interferometric distance measurement which is configured to irradiate an optical measuring beam onto the at least one workpiece, and a second deflection device for deflecting the optical measuring beam relative to said machining laser beam along a scanning path within a scanning area on said workpiece;
• a coupling device for coupling said optical measuring beam into said laser machining head, said coupling device being arranged in front of said first deflection device in the direction of propagation of said machining laser beam so that said optical measuring beam can be deflected by said first deflection device together with said machining laser beam;
• wherein said measuring device is configured to acquire measured distance values along said scanning path based on a part of said optical measuring beam reflected by said workpiece for determining a depth and/or a position of the vapor capillary and to adjust an area and a position of said scanning area on said workpiece based on a position of said machining laser beam within said first scan field.