Applications, methods and systems for materials processing with visible raman laser

Abstract

Laser additive manufacturing systems and apparatus using laser wavelengths below 800 nm. Raman laser modules having laser pump sources in the blue wavelength range. Matching functional laser beam wavelength with maximum absorption wavelengths of starting materials.

1  to  61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A laser apparatus for manufacturing, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a laser for providing a functional laser beam along a beam path, the functional laser beam having a wavelength less than about 750 nm;   b. a base;   c. a target area on the base for positioning a target material;   d. a laser beam delivery apparatus, comprising a beam shaping optic to form a laser beam spot;   e. a motor and positioning apparatus, mechanically connected to the base, the laser beam delivery apparatus, or both; whereby the motor and positioning apparatus are capable of providing relative movement between the laser beam delivery apparatus and the base;   f. a control system, the control system comprising a processor, a memory device and a manufacturing plan; wherein the manufacturing plan is in the memory device; wherein the control system is capable of implementing the manufacturing plan through a predetermined placement of the functional laser beam; and,   g. wherein the laser comprises a pump laser diode and a Raman oscillator that are configured to provide an n-order Raman oscillation, where n is an integer.   
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the manufacturing plan comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of welding processes, cutting processes, brazing processes, polishing processes, ablation processes and soldering processes. 
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the manufacturing plan comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of welding processes, soldering processes and brazing processes. 
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein n is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. 
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein n is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. 
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the n-order oscillation is stokes. 
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , wherein the n-order oscillation is anti-stokes. 
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein a target material is on the target area, and wherein the control system is configured for implementing the manufacturing plan through the predetermined placement of the functional laser beam on the target material. 
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein a target material is on the target area, and wherein the control system is configured for implementing the manufacturing plan through the predetermined placement of the functional laser beam on the target material. 
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 69 , wherein the target material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Magnesium, Aluminum, Gallium, Tin, Lead, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Zirconium, Molybdenum, Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Tungsten, Gold, Mercury, metals, alloys of metals, and mixtures of metals. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 69 , wherein the target material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Iron, Steel, Nickel, Copper, Silver and Gold. 
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 70 , wherein the target material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Iron, Steel, Nickel, Copper, Silver and Gold. 0 
     
     
         74 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the functional laser beam has a power of at least 10 W. 
     
     
         75 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the functional laser beam has a power of at least 100 W. 
     
     
         76 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the functional laser beam has a power of at least 500 W. 
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the functional laser beam has a wavelength in the range of 405 nm to 495 nm. 
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the functional laser beam has a wavelength in the range of 500 nm to 600 nm. 
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein one or more of the processor, the memory, and the manufacturing plan are remotely located with respect to the laser and the base. 
     
     
         80 . A laser apparatus for performing laser operations, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a laser for providing a functional laser beam along a beam path, the functional laser beam having a wavelength less than about 750 nm;   b. a base;   c. a target material associated with the base; wherein the target material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Magnesium, Aluminum, Gallium, Tin, Lead, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Zirconium, Molybdenum, Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Tungsten, Gold, and Mercury.   d. a laser beam delivery apparatus, comprising a beam shaping optic to form a laser beam spot;   e. a motor and positioning apparatus, mechanically associated with the base, the laser beam delivery apparatus, or both; whereby the motor and positioning apparatus are capable of providing relative movement between the laser beam delivery apparatus and the target material;   f. a control system, the control system comprising a processor and a memory device; wherein the control system is configured to implement instructions for the delivery of the functional laser beam to the target; and,   g. wherein the laser comprises a pump laser diode and a Raman oscillator that are configured to provide an n-order Raman oscillation, where n is an integer.   
     
     
         81 . The apparatus of  claim 80 , wherein the instructions comprise a step for preforming an operation selected from the group consisting of welding processes, cutting processes, brazing processes, polishing processes, ablation processes and soldering processes. 
     
     
         82 . The apparatus of  claim 80 , wherein the instructions comprise a step for performing an operation selected from the group of welding processes, soldering processes and brazing processes. 
     
     
         83 . A Raman laser module (RLM), the RLM comprising: a pump laser beam source and a Raman oscillator for providing a functional laser beam; the functional laser beam having a wavelength less than about 700 nm, a M 2  of less than 2, and a power of greater than 100 W. 
     
     
         84 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the Raman oscillator comprises a fiber oscillator comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Silica, GeO 2  doped silica, and Phosphorus doped silica. 
     
     
         85 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the. Raman oscillator comprises a crystal oscillator having material selected from the group consisting of Diamond, KGW, YVO 4 , and Ba(NO 3 ) 2 . 
     
     
         86 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the pump laser source comprises a diode laser and wherein the power is not less than 500 W. 
     
     
         87 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the pump laser source comprises a plurality of laser diodes to produce a pump laser beam having a beam parameter product of less than about 10 mm-mrad. 
     
     
         88 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the pump laser source comprises an array of at least 20 blue laser diodes. 
     
     
         89 . The apparatus of  claim 83 , wherein the array provides a pump laser beam having a wavelength in the range of about 405 nm to about 460 nm. 
     
     
         90 . A system comprising:
 a. a plurality of a Raman laser module (RLM);   b. the RLM comprising: a pump laser beam source and a Raman oscillator for providing a functional laser beam; the functional laser beam having a wavelength less than about 700 nm, a M 2  of less than 2, and a power of greater than 100 W; and,   c. wherein laser beams from the plurality of the RLM are coherently combined to form a single functional laser beam.