General Atomics, Inc.

Andrew C Forsman

Michael Dale Perry

Paul S Banks

Charles P Moeller

James A Carmichael

Timothy Creston Bertch

Billy L Johnson

Erik H Lundgren

Timothy C Bertch

The present embodiments providing methods, systems and apparatuses of protecting a surface during laser machining. In some embodiments, a method of protecting a surface during laser machining comprises: directing a fluid into a cavity of an object being laser machined, where the fluid does not have laser absorption properties; and directing a plurality of laser pulses at a wall of the object being laser machined, where the laser pulses are configured to form a hole through the wall such that at least one laser pulse passes through the hole and enters the cavity while the fluid is directed into the cavity such that the laser pulse is incident on the fluid and a surface together in order to inhibit backwall damage.

Methods and systems for use in laser machining

Methods and apparatus for material modification using laser bursts including appropriately timed laser pulses to enhance material modification. In one implementation, a method for material modification comprises the steps of: providing bursts of laser pulses, wherein each burst comprises at least two laser pulses, wherein each laser pulse has a pulse duration within a range of between approximately 10 ps and 100 ns, wherein a time between each laser pulse of each burst is within a range of between approximately 5 ns and 5 &mgr;s; a time between successive bursts is greater than the time between each laser pulse comprising each burst; and directing the bursts upon a workpiece, wherein an intensity of a primary laser pulse of each burst exceeds a damage threshold of the workpiece.

Method and apparatus for increasing the material removal rate in laser machining

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Andrew C Forsman