Patent ID: 6621040
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: A61B,A61C,B23K,C06B

Abstract:
A method for machining metals and alloys, comprising:producing a pulsed laser output beam from a solid state laser, wherein said pulsed laser output beam comprises a plurality of laser pulses wherein said laser pulses have a pulse repetition rate greater than 10 Hz and a wavelength in the range of 750 nm to 10.7 microns, wherein each pulse of said plurality of laser pulses has a pulse duration of 100 picosecond or less; and directing said pulsed laser output beam onto a workpiece comprising metal or alloy, wherein each said pulse converts approximately greater than 0.1 micron to 1 micron of material of said workpiece from a solid state to a plasma state, wherein said material is removed from said workpiece by hydrodynamic expansion of said plasma.