Plasma instability and optimum utilization of laser energy in laser materials processing

A plume consisting of vapor and ionized particles of the workpiece is usually formed during various types of laser materials processing. The process parameters such as the laser power, spot diameter, scanning speed, material properties and shielding gas affect the properties of this plume. A one-dimensional model is presented to understand the effects of the vapor-plasma plume in continuous wave (cw) laser materials processing. A model for pulsed laser materials processing is also discussed. These models are used to analyze the transmission of the laser beam through the plume and the deposition of energy on the melt pool at the substrate surface. An experimental technique described as the pinhole experiment is devised for pulsed laser operations to measure the partitioning of laser energy between the plume and workpiece and to identify the process parameter regime for efficient energy transfer from the laser beam to the workpiece. The attenuation coefficient of the vapor-plasma plume was measured during cw CO2 laser-assisted metal deposition conditions by directing a CO2 probe laser beam horizontally through the plume and determining the ratio of irradiance of the beam after and before the plume. Assuming an isotropic attenuation coefficient through the plume, the energy partitioning between the plume and workpiece was determined.