Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal

D. W. Coutts; M. J. Withford; J. A. Piper; G. Rutterford; A. I. Bell; M. R H Knowles

Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal

D. W. Coutts, M. J. Withford, J. A. Piper, G. Rutterford, A. I. Bell, M. R H Knowles

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution

Abstract

In most laser micro-machining applications using copper vapour lasers, the system is configured for near-diffraction limited beam quality. This enables the beam to be tightly focussed to very small spot sizes and can be used for drilling very small holes or trepanning larger ones. The focused spot has a gaussian-like profile. In this paper a new laser system is presented that has a flat-top beam when focused. This has many advantages over gaussian beams when applied to percussion drilling and certain other applications. This system has demonstrated high speed percussion drilling of high quality 100 micron diameter holes in metals. We also report high speed (>200 holes/sec) percussion drilling in green sheet ceramic. The new laser system is a compact copper vapour laser (CVL) master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) incorporating telescopic beam expansion in a high-gain double-pass amplifier. By configuring an oscillator for low coherence output and using a multimode optical fibre between the oscillator and a double-pass amplifier, high power (up to 34W) low divergence output beams having well defined flat-top far field beam profiles have been produced. This scheme generates a flat-top far-field beam profile by control of the spatial coherence of a flat-top near-field beam rather than the usual techniques of producing flattened gaussian beams from coherent gaussian beams. The output of such a MOPA has also demonstrated high power (34W average power, 80kW peak power) damage-free transmission through 100 micron core diameter optical fibres. This is of significant interest to system integrators and for certain applications.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the Laser Institute of America
Subtitle of host publication	Laser Microfabrication Conference
Editors	Eckhard Beyer, Rajesh Patel
Place of Publication	Orlando, USA
Publisher	Laser Institute of America
Pages	1-10
Number of pages	10
ISBN (Print)	0912035722, 9780912035727
Publication status	Published - 2002
Event	ICALEO 2002 - 21st International Congress on Applications of Laser and Electro-Optics - Scottsdale, AZ, United States Duration: 14 Oct 2002 → 17 Oct 2002

Other

Other	ICALEO 2002 - 21st International Congress on Applications of Laser and Electro-Optics
Country/Territory	United States
City	Scottsdale, AZ
Period	14/10/02 → 17/10/02

Cite this

@inproceedings{560f1ec2779b4507b356cf23d9160c35,

title = "Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal",

abstract = "In most laser micro-machining applications using copper vapour lasers, the system is configured for near-diffraction limited beam quality. This enables the beam to be tightly focussed to very small spot sizes and can be used for drilling very small holes or trepanning larger ones. The focused spot has a gaussian-like profile. In this paper a new laser system is presented that has a flat-top beam when focused. This has many advantages over gaussian beams when applied to percussion drilling and certain other applications. This system has demonstrated high speed percussion drilling of high quality 100 micron diameter holes in metals. We also report high speed (>200 holes/sec) percussion drilling in green sheet ceramic. The new laser system is a compact copper vapour laser (CVL) master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) incorporating telescopic beam expansion in a high-gain double-pass amplifier. By configuring an oscillator for low coherence output and using a multimode optical fibre between the oscillator and a double-pass amplifier, high power (up to 34W) low divergence output beams having well defined flat-top far field beam profiles have been produced. This scheme generates a flat-top far-field beam profile by control of the spatial coherence of a flat-top near-field beam rather than the usual techniques of producing flattened gaussian beams from coherent gaussian beams. The output of such a MOPA has also demonstrated high power (34W average power, 80kW peak power) damage-free transmission through 100 micron core diameter optical fibres. This is of significant interest to system integrators and for certain applications.",

author = "Coutts, {D. W.} and Withford, {M. J.} and Piper, {J. A.} and G. Rutterford and Bell, {A. I.} and Knowles, {M. R H}",

year = "2002",

language = "English",

isbn = "0912035722",

pages = "1--10",

editor = "Eckhard Beyer and Rajesh Patel",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the Laser Institute of America",

publisher = "Laser Institute of America",

address = "United States",

note = "ICALEO 2002 - 21st International Congress on Applications of Laser and Electro-Optics ; Conference date: 14-10-2002 Through 17-10-2002",

}

Coutts, DW , Withford, MJ, Piper, JA, Rutterford, G, Bell, AI & Knowles, MRH 2002, Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal. in E Beyer & R Patel (eds), Proceedings of the Laser Institute of America: Laser Microfabrication Conference. Laser Institute of America, Orlando, USA, pp. 1-10, ICALEO 2002 - 21st International Congress on Applications of Laser and Electro-Optics, Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 14/10/02.

Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal. / Coutts, D. W.; Withford, M. J.; Piper, J. A.; Rutterford, G.; Bell, A. I.; Knowles, M. R H.

Proceedings of the Laser Institute of America: Laser Microfabrication Conference. ed. / Eckhard Beyer; Rajesh Patel. Orlando, USA : Laser Institute of America, 2002. p. 1-10.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution

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AU - Coutts, D. W.

AU - Withford, M. J.

AU - Piper, J. A.

AU - Rutterford, G.

AU - Bell, A. I.

AU - Knowles, M. R H

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N2 - In most laser micro-machining applications using copper vapour lasers, the system is configured for near-diffraction limited beam quality. This enables the beam to be tightly focussed to very small spot sizes and can be used for drilling very small holes or trepanning larger ones. The focused spot has a gaussian-like profile. In this paper a new laser system is presented that has a flat-top beam when focused. This has many advantages over gaussian beams when applied to percussion drilling and certain other applications. This system has demonstrated high speed percussion drilling of high quality 100 micron diameter holes in metals. We also report high speed (>200 holes/sec) percussion drilling in green sheet ceramic. The new laser system is a compact copper vapour laser (CVL) master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) incorporating telescopic beam expansion in a high-gain double-pass amplifier. By configuring an oscillator for low coherence output and using a multimode optical fibre between the oscillator and a double-pass amplifier, high power (up to 34W) low divergence output beams having well defined flat-top far field beam profiles have been produced. This scheme generates a flat-top far-field beam profile by control of the spatial coherence of a flat-top near-field beam rather than the usual techniques of producing flattened gaussian beams from coherent gaussian beams. The output of such a MOPA has also demonstrated high power (34W average power, 80kW peak power) damage-free transmission through 100 micron core diameter optical fibres. This is of significant interest to system integrators and for certain applications.

AB - In most laser micro-machining applications using copper vapour lasers, the system is configured for near-diffraction limited beam quality. This enables the beam to be tightly focussed to very small spot sizes and can be used for drilling very small holes or trepanning larger ones. The focused spot has a gaussian-like profile. In this paper a new laser system is presented that has a flat-top beam when focused. This has many advantages over gaussian beams when applied to percussion drilling and certain other applications. This system has demonstrated high speed percussion drilling of high quality 100 micron diameter holes in metals. We also report high speed (>200 holes/sec) percussion drilling in green sheet ceramic. The new laser system is a compact copper vapour laser (CVL) master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) incorporating telescopic beam expansion in a high-gain double-pass amplifier. By configuring an oscillator for low coherence output and using a multimode optical fibre between the oscillator and a double-pass amplifier, high power (up to 34W) low divergence output beams having well defined flat-top far field beam profiles have been produced. This scheme generates a flat-top far-field beam profile by control of the spatial coherence of a flat-top near-field beam rather than the usual techniques of producing flattened gaussian beams from coherent gaussian beams. The output of such a MOPA has also demonstrated high power (34W average power, 80kW peak power) damage-free transmission through 100 micron core diameter optical fibres. This is of significant interest to system integrators and for certain applications.

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M3 - Conference proceeding contribution

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SN - 9780912035727

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EP - 10

BT - Proceedings of the Laser Institute of America

A2 - Beyer, Eckhard

A2 - Patel, Rajesh

PB - Laser Institute of America

CY - Orlando, USA

T2 - ICALEO 2002 - 21st International Congress on Applications of Laser and Electro-Optics

Y2 - 14 October 2002 through 17 October 2002

ER -

Generation of flat-top focussed beams for percussion drilling of ceramic and metal

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