Laser beam welding setup for the coaxial combination of two laser beams to vary the intensity distribution

Abstract

AbstractDeep-penetration laser beam welding is highly dynamic and affected by many parameters. Several investigations using differently sized laser spots, spot-in-spot laser systems, and multi-focus optics show that the intensity distribution is one of the most influential parameters; however, the targeted lateral and axial intensity design remains a major challenge. Therefore, a laser processing optic has been developed that coaxially combines two separate laser sources/beams with different beam characteristics and a measuring beam for optical coherence tomography (OCT). In comparison to current commercial spot-in-spot laser systems, this setup not only makes it possible to independently vary the powers of the two laser beams but also their focal planes, thus facilitating the investigation into the influence of specific energy densities along the beam axis. First investigations show that the weld penetration depth increases with increasing intensities in deeper focal positions until the reduced intensity at the sample surface, due to the deep focal position, is no longer sufficient to form a stable keyhole, causing the penetration depth to drop sharply.