METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LASER CUTTING MATERIALS

摘要

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<12> W/m<2>*sr and a peak brightness of greater than 10<13> W/m<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.