A novel “sandwich” method for observation of the keyhole in deep penetration laser welding

A sandwich method was used to observe the keyhole in deep penetration laser welding, which provided an effective way to analyze both the Fresnel and inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption. In the transparent metal-analog system, different densities of metal vapor, ionized atoms, and free electrons in the keyhole can be simulated by changing the thickness of aluminum films. The research results show that inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption exerts a tremendous influence on the energy absorption of the laser beam for CO₂ laser welding. Low density of keyhole plasma benefits the incident laser energy coupling to the materials. However, excess density of keyhole plasma baffles the transmission of the incident laser beam to the interior material. By comparing inflow energy and outflow energy, there exits an energy balance on the keyhole wall by balancing the absorbed laser intensity and heat flux on the wall.     

万瓦级光纤激光焊接过程中小孔内外等离子体研究

为了进一步深入了解超高功率光纤激光深熔焊接过程中等离子体特征,试验拍摄了深熔小孔内外等离子体形态,并采用光谱仪检测分析了光纤激光致等离子体光谱信号.利用检测得到的等离子体光谱信号,计算研究了等离子体的电子温度、电子密度、电离度以及等离子体压力特征,并分析了在小孔内不同深度处及孔外等离子体的变化规律.结果表明,孔内等离子体呈现不均匀分布特征,孔外金属蒸气远多于等离子体.等离子体光谱分析显示,光纤激光致等离子体辐射出的谱线较少,即电离程度较低.进一步的计算结果同样证实了光纤激光致等离子体处于弱电离状态,但等离子体电子密度仍然处于较高水平,且等离子体瞬态压力可达到数百个大气压.     

A three-dimensional model of multiple reflections for high-speed deep penetration laser welding based on an actual keyhole

Keyhole shapes are observed experimentally by two high-speed cameras from two perpendicular directions in high-speed laser welding of glass. From the obtained keyhole pictures, it can be seen that in high-speed deep penetration laser welding, the keyhole is not only seriously bent in the direction opposite to that of welding speed, but also elongated along the direction of the welding speed. Based on the so-obtained keyhole photograph, the keyhole profiles in both the symmetric plane and its perpendicular plane (i.e., the cross-section plane) are determined by the method of polynomial fitting. Then, under the assumption of elliptical cross-section of the keyhole at each keyhole depth, a 3D bending keyhole is reconstructed, the behavior of focused Gaussian laser beam in the keyhole is analyzed by tracing a ray of light using geometrical optics theory. Fresnel absorption and multiple reflections in the keyhole are systematically studied, and the laser intensities absorbed on the keyhole walls are calculated. In determining the distribution of laser intensity on the keyhole wall, the bending of the keyhole plays the dominant role, elongation of the keyhole plays just a minor role. Because of the bending of the keyhole, not all the keyhole wall can be irradiated directly by laser beam. The absorbed laser intensity cannot be uniformly distributed on the keyhole wall even after multiple reflections. The keyhole wall absorbs laser intensity mainly on the small area near the front keyhole wall. Recoil pressure plays a dominant role in forming a keyhole and keeping it open.     

3D transient multiphase model for keyhole,vapor plume,and weld pool dynamics in laser welding including the ambient pressure effect

The physical process of deep penetration laser welding involves complex, self-consistent multiphase keyhole, metallic vapor plume, and weld pool dynamics. Currently, efforts are still needed to understand these multiphase dynamics. In this paper, a novel 3D transient multiphase model capable of describing a self-consistent keyhole, metallic vapor plume in the keyhole, and weld pool dynamics in deep penetration fiber laser welding is proposed. Major physical factors of the welding process, such as recoil pressure, surface tension, Marangoni shear stress, Fresnel absorptions mechanisms, heat transfer, and fluid flow in weld pool, keyhole free surface evolutions and solid–liquid–vapor three phase transformations are coupling considered. The effect of ambient pressure in laser welding is rigorously treated using an improved recoil pressure model. The predicated weld bead dimensions, transient keyhole instability, weld pool dynamics, and vapor plume dynamics are compared with experimental and literature results, and good agreements are obtained. The predicted results are investigated by not considering the effects of the ambient pressure. It is found that by not considering the effects of ambient pressure, the average keyhole wall temperature is underestimated about 500 K; besides, the average speed of metallic vapor will be significantly overestimated. The ambient pressure is an essential physical factor for a comprehensive understanding the dynamics of deep penetration laser welding.     

An experimental study on the keyhole shapes in laser deep penetration welding

In this paper, the laser spot diameter and its intensity distribution are measured with a scanning pinhole, and the keyhole shapes are observed using a specially designed setup in laser deep penetration welding of glass GG17. Based on the above experimental results, the effects of the following factors on the keyhole shapes are studied: the laser spot diameter and its intensity distribution, defocus, welding speed and inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption of the plasma.     

Inverse-bremsstrahlung absorption of an intense laser field in cluster plasma

Inverse-bremsstrahlung absorption of an intense laser field in cluster plasma is considered in the Born approximation with allowance made for electron interaction with the entire subsystem of clustered ions. The electromagnetic power absorbed in plasma is calculated for linearly and circularly polarized laser radiations. It is shown that plasma “clustering” can give rise to much more effective absorption of electromagnetic energy as a result of collisions. The collective effects (the action of the overall field of clustered ions on an electron) dominate over the elementary processes (electron scattering by individual ions in the cluster) in the course of inverse bremsstrahlung.     

Calculation of the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption in unmagnetized plasmas

Inverse bremsstrahlung is one important way to deliver laser energy to the plasma in inertial confinement fusion. In this article, we study the collisional absorption rate as obtained from the Fokker–Planck treatment of an unmagnetized plasma in harmonic laser field. The electron–ion collision rate is considered in the Krook approximation, and the electron distribution function is considered a Maxwellian function. We evaluate the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption near the irradiated plasma surface in the critical layer. We observe that absorption increases with shorter laser wavelength and lower electron temperatures. When the maximum electron velocity in the limit of q → 1 reaches infinity, the q-non-extensive distribution function reduces to the standard Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.     

激光焊接熔透特征信号同轴增效提取方法研究

熔透检测是实现高功率激光焊接质量在线控制的重要环节,但由于介观尺度下的低辐值熔透特征信号产生于激光匙孔底部被匙孔喷射物质和周围干扰信号完全掩盖,熔透状态难以被直接获取,常规检测多以间接测量为主。将光谱透视技术、红外显微成像技术、光电传感技术及空间定位提取技术相结合,提出一种激光焊接熔透特征信号同轴增效提取方法。以高功率激光在匙孔内壁激发的荧光辐射源作为直接检测信号,利用不同发光体的谱段特性在红外谱段有效分离并抑制激光焊接匙孔上方的等离子体、金属蒸汽焰、粒子团簇等强干扰信号,使红外荧光信号得到有效增强,实现光谱透视显像效果。同时采用自行研制的激光焊接同轴显微光路系统,利用红外显微成像原理提取到匙孔内壁受激辐射荧光的红外显微实像。并以此为基础对高功率激光焊接熔透状态与匙孔内部影像特征进行关联研究,发现与熔透状态直接相关的低辐射值特征现象及特征区域的存在。通过视觉辅助定位调节和熔透特征位置试验矫正等寻位方式,依次提高定位精度,直至将传感器光电感应芯片高精度定位至荧光辐射实像中的熔透特征区域。由此通过光谱透视-显微成像-介观寻位萃取的逐层光学分离方式,实现了对匙孔熔透特征数据的精准提取和最大化增强。试验结果表明,基于多种光谱及光学处理技术复合应用的大功率固体激光焊熔透特征同轴增效提取方法对激光熔透特征信号增强效果显著,可作为一种新型的高功率激光焊接熔透在线检测手段。     

The influence of laser pulse waveform on laser-TIG hybrid welding of AZ31B magnesium alloy

By dividing laser pulse duration into two parts, three kinds of laser waveforms are designed, including a high power density pulse (HPDP) laser in a short duration set at the beginning of the laser waveform. This paper aims to find out the laser pulse waveform and idiographic critical values of HPDP, which can affect the magnesium penetration in laser-tungsten inert gas (TIG) hybrid welding. Results show that when the laser pulse duration of HPDP is not more than 0.4 ms, the welding penetration values of lasers with HPDP are larger than otherwise. Also, the welding penetration values of laser with HPDP have increased by up to 26.1%. It has been found that with HPDP, the laser can form the keyhole more easily because the interaction between laser and the plate is changed, when the TIG arc preheats the plate. Besides, the laser with high power density and short duration strikes on the plates so heavily that the corresponding background power can penetrate into the bottom of the keyhole and maintain the keyhole open, which facilitates the final welding penetration.     

Anomalous absorption of high-energy green laser light in high- z plasmas

We observe strong anomalous absorption of green laser light in mm-scale high-temperature gold plasmas. Both the laser light absorption and the resulting increase of the electron temperature, which was measured independently with Thomson scattering, have been successfully modeled by including enhanced collisions due to heat-flux driven ion acoustic fluctuations. Calculations that include only inverse bremsstrahlung significantly underestimate the experimental laser absorption and the electron temperature.     

Improvement of laser keyhole formation with the assistance of arc plasma in the hybrid welding process of magnesium alloy

In the previous work, low-power laser/arc hybrid welding technique is used to weld magnesium alloy and high-quality weld joints are obtained. In order to make clear the interactions between low-power laser pulse and arc plasma, the effect of arc plasma on laser pulse is studied in this article. The result shows that the penetration of low-power laser welding with the assistance of TIG arc is more than two times deeper than that of laser welding alone and laser welding transforms from thermal-conduction mode to keyhole mode. The plasma behaviors and spectra during the welding process are studied, and the transition mechanism of laser-welding mode is analyzed in detail. It is also found that with the assistance of arc plasma, the threshold value of average power density to form keyhole welding for YAG laser is only 3.3×10⁴ W/cm², and the average peak power density is 2.6×10⁵ W/cm² in the present experiment. Moreover, the distribution of energy density during laser pulse is modulated to improve the formation and stability of laser keyholes.     

Effect of Laser Pulse on Arc Plasma and Magnesium Target in Low-Power Laser/Arc Hybrid Welding

Low-power laser/arc hybrid welding process of magnesium alloy shows that the weld capability of tungsten-inert-gas arc is improved under the action of laser pulses. The effect of laser pulse on arc plasma is analyzed by studying the plasma spectra, plasma shapes, and arc voltage in this paper. On the one hand, laser pulse attracts arc plasma to laser keyhole and improves the stability of arc plasma; on the other hand, laser pulse expands the arc plasma and concentrates the electric conducting route of arc plasma. All these increase the output power and energy density of arc plasma, so the welding penetration is improved. In addition, laser pulses are controlled to act on the negative wave of alternating-current arc (the target metal has negative polarity) in hybrid welding process to improve the stability of arc plasma and weld penetration.      

Investigation into absorption of the incident laser beam during Nd:YAG laser processing of metals

Laser materials processing is highly affected by the existence of surface plasma. The absorption of surface plasma during drilling alters the power intensity distribution of the incident laser beam across the irradiated spot. The present study is carried out to measure the electron number density and temperature using a Langmuir probe while a mathematical formulation is conducted for the absorption coefficients due to electron-ion, electron-neutral atom collisions, inverse Bremsstrahlung, and photoionization processes. Consequently, a computer program is developed to compute the relevant absorption coefficients as well as the overall absorption coefficient. The laser power intensity distribution before and after the plasma absorption is computed at a plane 2.6 mm above the workpiece surface. It is found that 13% of the reduction occurs in the incident laser output power intensity at this plane in the plasma.     

Characteristics of zinc behavior during laser welding of zinc “sandwich” sample

To address the problem of the zinc being easily gasified in laser welding of galvanized steel, laser welding of a zinc “sandwich” sample was performed to experimentally investigate the behavior and characteristics of the zinc inside and outside the keyhole, including the observation of the keyhole, the zinc vapor and zinc plasma, and the calculation of the electron temperature of the zinc plasma. Based on the principle of imaging amplification, the detected multi-points can be located precisely in order to study the distribution of the electron temperature of the zinc plasma. The results show that the zinc behavior played an important role in the formation of the weld-joint and the zinc plasma altered the energy distribution at the top of the keyhole whose diameter has been enlarged in the welding process. For both continuous-wave laser and pulsed laser welding of zinc “sandwich” sample, the average electron temperature of the zinc keyhole plasma was higher than that of the zinc plasma plume outside the keyhole. In the welding process, the continuous wave laser with higher input energy results in higher position of the zinc plasma with higher electron temperature above the sample surface. More zinc vapor resulted in a higher average electron temperature of the plasma.     

热阻塞效应对激光辐照靶材烧蚀过程的影响分析

研究了百兆瓦级激光烧蚀碳/碳复合材料靶材产生的等离子体吸收激光束能量引起的热阻塞效应。首先,基于逆轫致吸收理论,建立了激光在烧蚀靶材产生的等离子体中的传播模型;然后,基于磁流体理论,得到了等离子体在百兆瓦级激光形成的电磁场中的波动方程,建立了等离子体吸收激光能量引起热阻塞效应的模型。最后,对烧蚀过程中粒子的总密度、吸收系数、靶材表面等效热流随激光持续时间的变化规律以及是否考虑热阻塞效应时,靶面垂直方向的温度场进行了数值模拟。结果表明:等离子体的形成,对激光形成了明显的热阻塞效应,削弱了激光对靶材的烧蚀作用,使粒子总密度、吸收系数、靶材表面等效热流以及靶面垂直方向温度场的变化均呈现为非线性。     

Effect of electric and magnetic fields on plasma control during CO2 laser welding

Feasibility in using electric and magnetic fields as a plasma control tool during high-power laser welding is explored in this paper. Preliminary results indicated that both fields can influence the shielding effect of the plasma above the keyhole. It was found that at suitable field parameters the penetration depth can be increased by more than 13%. Moreover, under the effect of both fields, the interrelation between the penetration depth and the width of bead was found. In addition, the influence of both electric and magnetic fields strength, field direction and laser power on the penetration depth and the width of bead were also investigated.     

Interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser–arc hybrid welding of magnesium alloy

This paper presents the results of the investigation on the interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser–arc hybrid welding on magnesium alloy AZ31B using the spectral diagnose technique. By comparably analyzing the variation in plasma information (the shape, the electron temperature and density) of single tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding with the laser–arc hybrid welding, it is found that the laser affects the arc plasma through the keyhole forming on the workpiece. Depending on the welding parameters there are three kinds of interactions taking place between laser and arc plasma.     

Spectroscopic studies of laser induced aluminum plasma using fundamental,second and third harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser

In the present work, we have studied the spatial evolution of the aluminum plasma produced by the fundamental (1064 nm), second (532 nm) and third (355 nm) harmonics of a Q-switched pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral aluminum have been used to extract the excitation temperature using Boltzmann plot method whereas the electron number density has been determined from the Stark broadened profiles. Besides we have studied the variation of excitation temperature and electron number density as a function of laser irradiance at atmospheric pressure. In addition, we have performed quantitative analysis of photon absorption and vapor ionization mechanism at three laser wavelengths and estimated the inverse bremsstrahlung (IB) absorption and photoionization (PI) coefficients. The validity of the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium is discussed in the light of the experimental results.     

Effect of magnetic field on plasma control during CO2 laser welding

During high power CO₂ laser beam welding, the plasma above the keyhole has a shielding effect that it not only absorbs part of the laser energy but also defocuses the laser beam. As a result, the welding efficiency and the aspect ratio of the welds are influenced. In order to reduce the effect of plasma, helium as a plasma control gas has been used successfully and effectively. However, the cost of helium in Southeast Asia is extremely high and therefore the production cost is significantly increased when helium is used as a continuous bleeding plasma control gas. To search for an alternative plasma control technique, feasibility in using magnetic effect as a control tool is explored in this paper. The influences of the magnetic field strength, laser power, welding speed, field direction and shielding gas (e.g. helium and argon) on the penetration depth and the width of bead were also investigated. Experimental results indicated that the magnetic field can influence the shielding effect of the plasma without using plasma control gas. It was found that at a suitable magnetic field strength the penetration depth was increased by about 7%, but no significant difference on the width of bead was found. Moreover, it was shown that the plasma control effect can be achieved at low magnetic field strength and the penetration depth can be increased significantly under argon atmosphere.     

Stabilization effect of Weibel modes due to inverse bremsstrahlung absorption in laser fusion plasma using Krook collisions model

In this work, the Weibel instability due to inverse bremsstrahlung absorption in laser fusion plasma has been investigated. The stabilization effect due to the coupling of the self-generated magnetic field by Weibel instability with the laser wave field is explicitly showed. The main result obtained in this work is that the inclusion of self-generated magnetic field due to Weibel instability to the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption causes a stabilizing effect of excited Weibel modes. We found a decrease in the spectral range of Weibel unstable modes. This decrease is accompanied by a reduction of two orders in the growth rate of instability or even stabilization of these modes. It has been shown that the previous analyses of the Weibel instability due to inverse bremsstrahlung have overestimated the values of the generated magnetic fields. Therefore, the generation of magnetic fields by the Weibel instability due to inverse bremsstrahlung should not affect the experiences of an inertial confinement fusion.