Patent ID: 6554854
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: A61B,A61F,B23K

Abstract:
A process for laser joining a first metal with a second metal, the first metal comprising an element of a stent adapted for endoluminal deployment and having a first reflectance curve as a function of wavelength, the second metal comprising a radiopaque marker relative to the first metal and having a second reflectance curve, die first metal having a sufficiently lesser reflectance than the second metal outside an optimal range of wavelengths over which the first reflectance curve and the second reflectance curve essentially overlap such that laser processing at a wavelength outside the optimal range exposes the first metal to a risk of excessive melting, vaporization, or cutting through the first metal clement, the process comprising placing the first metal in contact with the second metal and exposing at least one of the first metal and second metal to a laser beam having a wavelength selected from the optimal range of wavelengths, the process comprising first creating pitholes in the first metal stent element and then filling the pitholes with the second metal.