Method and apparatus for creating an image by a pulsed laser beam inside a transparent material

A method for forming a predetermined decorative image inside a transparent material, the method comprising:

• determining points inside the transparent material at which points microdestructions are to be created to form the decorative image;
• and
• focusing a laser beam at each of the points to create a microdestruction at each of the points, wherein the microdestructions collectively form the predetermined decorative image inside the transparent material,
• wherein the focusing step comprises moving the transparent material relative to the laser beam perpendicularly to the laser beam to create microdestructions that form a first two-dimensional plane section of the decorative image, said first plane section appearing as a first array of image elements of the decorative image.

A method for forming a predetermined image inside a transparent material, the method comprising:

• determining points inside the transparent material at which points microdestructions are to be created to form the image;
• and
• focusing a laser beam at each of the points to create a microdestruction at each of the points, wherein the microdestructions collectively form the predetermined image inside the transparent material,
• wherein the focusing step comprises:
• creating microdestructions of a first size to form a first portion of the image;
• and
• creating microdestructions of a second size different from the first size, to form a second portion of the image.