Title :
Symmetry enhancement and spot-size reduction through radial beam stacking in a multichannel CO2 laser array
Author :
Yelden, E.F. ; Scott, S.W.C. ; Strohschein, J.D. ; Seguin, H.J.J. ; Capjack, C.E. ; Reshef, H.W.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Alberta Univ., Edmonton, Alta., Canada
fDate :
8/1/1994 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The beam quality of a diffusion-cooled RF-excited radial-geometry CO2-slab-laser array is investigated. The system is shown to negate many of the disadvantages inherent with slab lasers, namely, asymmetric beams, multiple focal spots, and linear polarization. In addition, the effective spot size is reduced as a result of radial stacking of the individual asymmetric but azimuthally distributed, incoherent, output beamlets. A performance demonstration with sheet-metal cutting has produced excellent results in terms of kerf width, depth of penetration, and cut directionality
Keywords :
carbon compounds; cutting; gas lasers; laser beam machining; laser beams; CO2; asymmetric azimuthally distributed incoherent output beamlets; asymmetric beams; beam quality; cut directionality; depth of penetration; diffusion-cooled radiofrequency-excited radial-geometry CO2 -slab-laser array; effective spot size; kerf width; linear polarization; multichannel CO2 laser array; multiple focal spots; performance demonstration; radial beam stacking; sheet-metal cutting; spot-size reduction; symmetry enhancement; Electrodes; Laser beam cutting; Laser beams; Optical arrays; Optical resonators; Optical waveguides; Polarization; Power lasers; Slabs; Stacking;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
