Fiber Laser Beam Branching for Multi-Point Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser beam processing apparatuses using YAG lasers suffer from poor beam quality, precision, and efficiency due to large beam divergence angles and varying beam modes, leading to suboptimal multi-point simultaneous and multi-position processing.
Innovation Solution
A laser beam processing apparatus employing a fiber laser oscillator with an optical fiber configuration, which branches and transmits laser beams through optical fibers, ensuring stable beam mode and power dividing ratio, resulting in improved light convergence and numerical aperture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a YAG laser is used as the laser oscillator, then the laser beam can be generated and transmitted through optical fibers, but the beam quality deteriorates due to large beam divergence angle and varying beam mode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the laser oscillator from YAG laser to fiber laser, which fundamentally alters the beam generation mechanism. The fiber laser produces a beam with small divergence angle and stable mode through its optical fiber configuration, directly resolving the beam quality and stability issues without requiring additional correction mechanisms
2Manufacturing precision
If a YAG laser with large beam divergence angle is used, then the laser beam can be transmitted through optical fibers, but the light convergence deteriorates in multi-branching and fiber transmission systems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the beam divergence parameter by switching from YAG laser to fiber laser. The fiber laser inherently produces a beam with small divergence angle, which maintains excellent light convergence properties throughout the multi-branching and fiber transmission system, eliminating the need for complex optical correction
3Productivity
If a YAG laser is used in multi-branching configuration, then multi-point simultaneous processing can be performed, but the power dividing ratio control becomes difficult due to beam mode variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the laser source to fiber laser, which produces a beam with stable mode that does not vary during operation. This stability enables precise control of power dividing ratio in multi-branching configurations, allowing accurate power distribution to multiple processing points while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms including beam mode stabilizers and power monitoring systems that continuously adjust the laser parameters to maintain consistent power dividing ratios across multiple branches, ensuring precise control while enabling multi-point simultaneous processing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus achieves enhanced precision and efficiency in multi-point simultaneous and multi-position processing by stabilizing beam mode and power dividing ratio, leading to improved processing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber laser oscillator having an optical fiber configuration that is adapted to employ a core containing an emission element as an active medium and to oscillate and output a raw laser beam having a predetermined wavelength by exciting the core using a predetermined excitation beam
Implementation Method 2
an optical pumping unit that injects an excitation ray onto an end face or end faces of an optical fiber for oscillation
Implementation Method 3
a laser beam branching unit that branches the raw laser beam created by the fiber laser oscillator into a plurality of branched laser beam simultaneously or non-simultaneously
Implementation Method 4
a laser beam injecting unit that condenses and injects the branched laser beams obtained from the laser beam branching unit into an end face of an optical fiber for transmission
Implementation Method 5
a laser beam irradiating unit that condenses and applies the branched laser beams exited from another end face after propagating the optical fiber for transmission
Data Source
AI summary
This laser beam processing apparatus includes a fiber laser oscillator, a laser beam branching unit, a laser beam injecting unit, a fiber transmission system, a laser beam irradiating unit, and a processing table. Based on a fiber laser beam, which is oscillation-outputted from the fiber laser oscillator, the laser beam branching unit executes simultaneous multi-branching from the fiber laser beam into a plurality of branched laser beams. The laser beam injecting unit injects the branched laser beams respectively into optical fibers for transmission and the laser beam irradiating units condense and apply the branched laser beams from the optical fibers for transmission respectively to processing points.