Ii-vi Delaware, Inc.

Other

Mikhail A Vorontsov

Abtin Ataei

Vladimir Ovchinnikov

Walter B Miller

Jennifer C Ricklin

A coherent fiber array laser power projection system scalable to large number of subapertures and includes sensors that produce signals dependent upon beam characteristics, and controllers configured to control beam characteristics to achieve either phasing of outgoing beams at transmitter plane or coherent beam combining at a remote target or both.

Methods and devices for laser power projection on a remote target with coherent fiber array and adaptive beam control

A system that uses a scalable array of individually controllable laser beams that are generated by a fiber array system to process materials into an object. The adaptive control of individual beams may include beam power, focal spot width, centroid position, scanning orientation, amplitude and frequency, of individual beams. Laser beam micro scanner modules (MSMs) are arranged into 2D arrays or matrices. During operation of the MSMs, a fiber tip that projects the laser beam is displaced along the x and y-axis in order to scan the focal spot. Each MSM within a matrix can process a corresponding cell (e.g., one square centimeter) during focal spot scanning, and the plurality of MSMs may be operated in parallel to process a plurality of corresponding cells (e.g., with a 10×10 matrix of MSM, 100 cm) without rastering or otherwise repositioning the assembly over the build surface.

Additive manufacturing in metals with a fiber array laser source and adaptive multi-beam shaping

A system that uses a scalable array of individually controllable laser beams that are generated by a fiber array system to process materials into an object. The adaptive control of individual beams may include beam power, focal spot width, centroid position, scanning orientation, amplitude and frequency, piston phase and polarization states of individual beams. Laser beam arrays may be arranged in a two dimensional cluster and configured to provide a pre-defined spatiotemporal laser power density distribution, or may be arranged linearly and configured to provide oscillating focal spots along a wide processing line. These systems may also have a set of material sensors that gather information on a material and environment immediately before, during, and immediately after processing, or a set of thermal management modules that pre-heat and post-heat material to control thermal gradient, or both.

Additive manufacture in metals with a fiber array laser source and adaptive multi-beam shaping

In one example, an on-mirror adaptive optics system may include a substrate including a deformable surface, a controller and a plurality of pockets defined in a substrate. Each of the pockets may include a an electrooptical sensor and an actuator. The controller may be communicatively coupled to the electrooptical sensor and the actuator. The controller may be configured to generate control voltages based on signals received from the electrooptical sensor to deform a portion of the deformable surface proximate a corresponding pocket of the plurality of pockets.

On-mirror integrated adaptive optics

A sensing method for in-situ non-perturbing measurement of characteristics of laser beams at the exit of the laser beam delivery fiber tips include measuring power of a laser beam transmitted through delivery fiber tip in fiber-optics systems. A sensing devices for in-situ non-perturbing sensing and control of multiple characteristics of laser light transmitted through light delivery fiber tips includes a fiber-tip coupler comprised of a shell with enclosed delivery fiber having a specially designed angle-cleaved endcap and one or several tap fibers that are specially arranged and assembled at back side of the endcap and other variations. Methods and system architectures for in-situ non-perturbing control of characteristics of laser beams at the exit of the laser beam delivery fiber tips include fiber-tip couplers and sensing modules that receive laser light from tap fibers, and systems for optical processing to enhance light characteristics suitable for in-situ measurement.

Methods and devices for laser beam parameters sensing and control with fiber-tip integrated systems

A system that uses a scalable array of individually controllable laser beams that are generated by a fiber array system to process materials into an object. The adaptive control of individual beams may include beam power, focal spot width, centroid position, scanning orientation, amplitude and frequency, of individual beams. Laser beam micro scanner modules (MSMs) are arranged into 2D arrays or matrices. During operation of the MSMs, a fiber tip that projects the laser beam is displaced along the x and y-axis in order to scan the focal spot. Each MSM within a matrix can process a corresponding cell (e.g., one square centimeter) during focal spot scanning, and the plurality of MSMs may be operated in parallel to process a plurality of corresponding cells (e.g., with a 10&#xd7;10 matrix of MSM, 100 cm) without rastering or otherwise repositioning the assembly over the build surface.

A system for LAM that uses a scalable array of individually controllable laser beams that are generated by a fiber array system to process materials into an object using a powder bed, wire feed, or direct deposition. The adaptive control of individual beams may include beam power, focal spot width, centroid position, scanning orientation, amplitude and frequency, piston phase and polarization states of individual beams. These characteristics can be independently adjusted to control LAM characteristics including microstructure, mechanical and surface quality characteristics. The system may also have a set of material sensors that gather information on a material and environment immediately before, during, and immediately after processing. This information can be used to adapt the material processing routine to improve LAM productivity and parts quality. The system also supports a variety of beam shaping methods that improve the quality of produced objects or mitigate processing issues.

System and method for additive manufacturing in metals with a fiber array laser source and adaptive multi-beam shaping

The present invention discloses a device for and method of simulating an image in real time under turbulent atmospheric conditions. The present invention is realized by expanding a first laser beam using a microscope-objective and a first lens. The expanded light is then projected onto a first LCLV. Light reflecting from the first LCLV is filtered, focused onto a diaphram, polarized, and directed along a path that is around two meters in length. The light is then split into a first beam and a second beam. The first beam is focused onto an optical fiber bundle which is connected to the first LCLV. One end of the optical fiber bundle is rotated with respect to the other end. The second beam is projected upon a second LCLV. A second laser beam is expanded and projected onto a LCTV. The image is provided to the LCTV. The LCTV image is projected onto, and modulated by the second LCLV. The light reflecting from the second LCLV, which represents a simulation of the image under turbulent atmospheric conditions, is then displayed using a CCD camera.

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Dayton, OH, United States of America

Mikhail A Vorontsov