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United States Patent 6,448,534
Kobsa September 10, 2002
Method and apparatus for laser cutting materials

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus of cutting an object with a laser beam, comprising using a diode laser-pumped pulsed solid state laser having an average power output from about 2 to about 100 watts and delivering an average laser beam brightness of greater than 10.sup.12 W/m.sup.2 *sr and a peak brightness of greater than 10.sup.13 W/m.sup.2 *sr to the object. Objects cut with the laser cutting method having heat affected zones (HAZ) of less than 4 mm, and having substantially no microcracks.

Inventors: Kobsa; Henry (Wilmington, DE)
Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, DE)
Appl. No.: 691883
Filed: October 19, 2000
Foreign Application Priority Data
Oct 27, 1995[DE]95 11 695

Current U.S. Class: 219/121.72
Intern'l Class: B23K 026/38
Field of Search: 219/121.61,121.67,121.68,121.69,121.7,121.71,121.72,121.62,121.84

References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3597578Aug., 1971Sullivan et al.219/121.
5093551Mar., 1992Bishop219/121.
5168143Dec., 1992Kobsa et al.219/121.
5198637Mar., 1993Noda et al.219/121.
5811751Sep., 1998Leong et al.219/121.
5854805Dec., 1998Reid et al.372/70.
Foreign Patent Documents
358020390Feb., 1983JP219/121.

Primary Examiner: Heinrich; Samuel M.
Parent Case Text


This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/269,494 filed Apr. 24, 1998, now Allowed was U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,010.
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