Multi-kW supersonic CO laser with high beam quality

Martin Schellhorn; Hartwig von Buelow

doi:10.1117/12.238513

22 April 1996 Multi-kW supersonic CO laser with high beam quality

Martin Schellhorn, Hartwig von Buelow

Proceedings Volume 2773, Laser Optics '95: Gas Lasers; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238513
Event: Laser Optics '95, 1995, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Abstract

An rf-excited gas-dynamically cooled carbon monoxide laser with unstable resonator (M equals 2) has been developed. The extracted laser beam shows an astigmatic phase distortion which is corrected by use of an extracavity cylindrical mirror. A 4.5 kW laser beam with a total divergence of 1.3 mrad is obtained with an efficiency of 9% and a Strehl ration of 0.5. The beam quality is 1.3 times the diffraction limit. First welding experiments on the aluminum alloy AlMgSi1 (6082) show higher penetration depths compared to carbon-dioxide and Nd- YAG laser welding at the same power level. This is a result of the smaller focal spot size with the CO laser leading to higher intensities in the welding zone. The aluminum weld seams obtained with the CO laser are very homogenous and regular at the surface in contrast to the weld seams obtained with the CO laser. The process parameters in CO laser aluminum welding can be changed in a wide range. This is a consequence of the shorter 5 to 5.6 micrometer wavelength compared to the carbon-dioxide laser resulting in a reduced beam- plasma interaction. Spectroscopic investigation of the CO laser induced aluminum welding plasma show a strong decrease of the intensities of Al (II) lines and no appearance of Al (III) lines as in case of carbon-dioxide laser welding of aluminum.

Citation Download Citation

Martin Schellhorn and Hartwig von Buelow "Multi-kW supersonic CO laser with high beam quality", Proc. SPIE 2773, Laser Optics '95: Gas Lasers, (22 April 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238513

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available