Ipg Photonics Corporation

Vijay Kancharla

Jeffrey P Sercel

Marco Mendes

Rouzbeh Sarrafi

Steven R Maynard

William Shiner

Steven Maynard

Laser processing of sapphire is performed using a continuous wave laser operating in a quasi-continuous wave (QCW) mode to emit consecutive laser light pulses in a wavelength range of about 1060 nm to 1070 nm (hereinafter 'QCW laser'). Laser processing of sapphire using a QCW laser may be performed with a lower duty cycle (e.g., between about 1% and 10%) and in an inert gas atmosphere such as argon or helium. Laser processing of sapphire using a QCW laser may further include the use of an assist laser having a shorter wavelength and/or pulse duration to modify a property of the sapphire substrate to form absorption centers, which facilitate coupling of the laser light pulses of the QCW laser into the sapphire.

Laser system and method for processing sapphire

Laser cutting systems and methods are used to cut amorphous metal materials, such as thin amorphous metal ribbons or foils, with a relatively high speed. Embodiments of laser cutting systems and methods described herein also allow cutting with reduced crystallization, and thus reduced increases in thickness, at the cut edges and with reduced cracks or other cutting defects at the cut edges. A fiber laser, such as an Ytterbium fiber laser, is used to generate a laser beam with a power level greater than about 50 W. The laser beam is focused and directed at the amorphous metal material with a beam spot size of about 30 microns or less. The focused laser beam and the amorphous metal material are moved relative to each other at a speed greater than about 18 inches per second such that the focused laser beam cuts the amorphous metal material.

High speed laser cutting of amorphous metals

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Shrewsbury, MA, United States of America

Vijay Kancharla