Methods and Systems for Joining Metal Based Materials Using Lasers

Abstract

A visible light laser system and operation for welding materials together. A blue laser system that forms essentially perfect welds for copper based materials. A blue laser system and operation for welding conductive elements, and in particular thin conductive elements, together for use in energy storage devices, such as battery packs.

1 - 83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . A method of laser processing metal based materials, the method comprising:
 a. placing a component in a laser system; wherein the component comprises a first metal based material in contact with a second metal based material;   b. directing a laser beam at the component, thereby joining the first metal based material to the second metal based material, to form a joined component; wherein the joined component comprises a HAZ and a resolidification zone; and,   c. wherein a microstructure of the first metal based material, the second metal based material, the HAZ and the resolidification zone show no discernable difference in the joined component that would indicate a weakness, wherein the microstructure comprises crystal growth regions of similar size, or both.   
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the laser beam has a wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 575. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the joining of the first and second metal based materials comprises soldering the first and second metal based materials together. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the joining of the first and second metal based materials comprises welding the first and second metal based materials together. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the first metal based material is selected from the group consisting of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the second metal based material is selected from the group consisting of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the first metal based material and the second metal based material are the same. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the first metal based material, the second metal based material, or both materials, comprises one or more of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         92 . A method of laser processing one or more components, the method comprising:
 a. placing the one or more components in a laser system; wherein the component comprises a first metal based material in contact with a second metal based material;   b. directing a blue, blue-green, or green laser beam at the one or more components, thereby laser processing the one or more components, to form a laser processed component; and,   c. wherein a microstructure of the one or more components shows no discernable difference in the laser processed component that would indicate a weakness, wherein the microstructure comprises crystal growth regions of similar size, or both.   d. wherein the laser beam is directed to the one or more components as a focused spot having power density of less than 800 kW/cm 2 ; or of less than 500 kW/cm 2 ; or from about 100 kW/cm 2  to about 800 kW/cm 2 ; or from about 800 kW/cm 2  to about 5 MW/cm 2 ; or greater than 100 kW/cm 2 .   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the laser processing comprises one or more of welding, soldering, smelting, joining, annealing, softening, tackifying, resurfacing, peening, thermally treating, fusing, sealing, and stacking. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 92 , comprising directing a second laser beam to the same area as the laser beam to process the one or more components. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the one or more components comprise at least one of gold, copper, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         96 . A method of joining pieces of metal based materials, the method comprising:
 a. placing a first piece of metal based material in contact with a second piece of metal based material in a laser system   b. directing a laser beam at both the first and second pieces of metal based materials, thereby joining the first and second pieces of metal based materials, to form a joined piece; wherein the joined piece comprises a resolidification zone; and,   c. wherein a range of hardness for the resolidification zone is within a range of hardness for the first, the second or both pieces of metal based material.   
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the laser beam is blue, blue-green or green. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the joining of the first and second pieces of metal based materials comprises soldering the first and second pieces metal based materials together. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the joining of the first and second pieces of metal based materials comprises welding the first and second metal based materials together. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the first piece of metal based material is selected from the group consisting of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the second piece of metal based material is selected from the group consisting of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the first piece of metal based material and the second piece of metal based material are the same. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the first piece of metal based material, the second piece of metal based material, or both pieces of metal based material, comprises one or more of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         104 . A method of forming a keyhole weld in metal based materials, the method comprising:
 a. placing a work piece in a laser system; wherein the work piece comprises placing a first piece of metal based material in contact with a second piece of metal based material; and,   b. directing a blue, blue-green or green laser beam at the work piece, thereby forming a HAZ and a resolidification zone, whereby a keyhole mode weld is formed between the first piece of metal based material and the second piece of metal based material; wherein the weld comprises a HAZ and a resolidification zone; and,   c. wherein the laser beam is directed in a splatter reducing operation comprising one of more of: elongating the laser beam to suppress spatter from the keyhole; modulating the laser power to suppress spatter from the keyhole; rapidly scanning the beam to suppress spatter during the keyhole mode of welding; and, comprising rapidly decreasing the laser power after the weld is initiated.   
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 100 , comprising directing a second laser beam to the same area as the laser beam to form the weld. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 84 , comprising directing a second laser beam to the same area as the laser beam to form the weld. 
     
     
         107 . A method of forming a weld in metal based materials, the method comprising:
 a. placing a work piece in a laser system; wherein the work piece comprises placing a first piece of metal based material in contact with a second piece of metal based material;   b. directing a blue, blue-green or green laser beam at the work piece, whereby a weld is formed between the first piece of metal based material and the second piece of metal based material; wherein the weld comprises a HAZ and a resolidification zone; and,   c. wherein a microstructure of the first piece of metal based material, the second piece of metal based material, the HAZ and the resolidification zone show no discernable difference in the weld that would indicate a weakness in the weld, wherein the identical microstructure comprises crystal growth regions of similar size, or both.   
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 107 , wherein the first piece of metal material, the second piece of metal material, or both piece of metal material, comprises one or more of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         109 . A method of forming a weld in metal based materials, the method comprising:
 d. placing a work piece in a laser system; wherein the work piece comprises placing a first piece of metal based material in contact with a second piece of metal material;   e. directing a laser beam at the work piece, whereby a weld is formed between the first piece of metal based material and the second piece of metal based material; wherein the weld comprises a HAZ and a resolidification zone; and,
 wherein a range of hardness for the HAZ is within a range of hardness for the first piece of metal based material, the second piece of metal based material or both. 
   
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the first material, the second material, or both materials, comprises one or more of gold, brass, silver, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.