US 12,691,530 B2 · Method for enhancement of laser material processing via modulation of laser light intensity

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a laser-based system and method for providing efficient melt removal of material from a surface of a material sample being acted on in a laser machining operation. In one implementation the system may make use of a continuous wave (CW) laser for generating a laser beam directed at a spot on the surface of the material sample. The CW laser may be configured to be modulated at a predetermined frequency such that the laser beam excites and amplifies surface capillary waves on the surface of the sample up to a melt ejection point, which ejects molten material from the spot being acted on by the laser beam, to more rapidly facilitate material removal from the spot.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method for providing efficient liquid melt removal of material from a spot on a surface of a material sample, the method comprising:

using a continuous wave (CW) laser to generate a collimated laser beam;
focusing the collimated laser beam to a desired spot size on the surface of the material sample;
and
modulating the collimated laser beam from the CW laser at a predetermined frequency, which matches a natural resonant oscillation frequency of the liquid melt, and wherein an output power of the laser beam is also modulated within a predetermined power range, both of which combined are sufficient to excite and amplify surface capillary waves on the surface of the sample up to a melt ejection point, to fully eject the liquid melt from the spot on the surface of the sample.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for enhancement of laser material processing via modulation of laser light intensity

Life of this patent

Method for enhancement of laser material processing via modulation of laser light intensity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5