High-beam quality and high-average-power industrial CO2 lasers

Yushi Takenaka; Koji Yasui; Shigenori Yagi

doi:10.1117/12.271572

4 April 1997 High-beam quality and high-average-power industrial CO₂ lasers

Yushi Takenaka, Koji Yasui, Shigenori Yagi

Proceedings Volume 2987, Gas and Chemical Lasers and Applications II; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.271572
Event: Photonics West '97, 1997, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

High power and high beam quality cw carbon-dioxide lasers using new resonators with a phase-unifying output coupler are presented. The phase-unifying output coupler has a circular partial-reflection region in the center surrounded by an antireflection region. The two laser beams that fall onto the two regions of the phase-unifying output coupler have a phase difference from each other when they pass through these regions. The phase difference is structurally canceled out by introducing a stepwise groove outside the phase-unifying output coupler. The new resonators operate in a large volume fundamental mode that is mainly determined by the phase-unifying output coupler. A 5 kW diffraction limited output beam that is promising for industrial laser application is obtained experimentally when the new resonators are applied to high power cw carbon-dioxide lasers. In laser materials processing, we can achieve a penetration depth of 5 mm at a speed of 5 m/min for high speed laser welding of stainless steel. Furthermore, we can cut 1 mm thick mild steel at a speed of 58 m/min and 0.5 mm thick mild steel at a speed of 95 m/min for high speed laser cutting.

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Yushi Takenaka, Koji Yasui, and Shigenori Yagi "High-beam quality and high-average-power industrial CO₂ lasers", Proc. SPIE 2987, Gas and Chemical Lasers and Applications II, (4 April 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.271572

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KEYWORDS

Resonators

Carbon dioxide lasers

Output couplers

Laser resonators

Laser cutting

High power lasers

Laser welding

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