Laser Research Articles

Achieving coaxial photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality imaging by high-performance Sm: 0.72PMN-0.28PT transparent piezoelectric ceramic

As a promising new medical imaging method, photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has the advantages of optical resolution and acoustic depth of penetration. The transparent ultrasound transducer (TUT), as a novel device applied to PAI, can combine the laser and acoustic beam coaxially to improve the imaging quality. Transparent piezoelectric materials are the key to developing piezoelectric TUTs. However, due to the birefringence and light scattering caused by ferroelectric domains, it is very hard to prepare transparent piezoelectric materials with both high optical transmittance and excellent piezoelectricity. In this study, 2.5mol% Sm-doped 0.72Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.28PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) ceramic with a piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 1460 pC N-1 and an optical transmission of 69% at Near-Infrared (NIR) is successfully prepared, and its optical, microstructure, ferroelectric and dielectric properties are fully studied. Subsequently, a 3 mm-diameter photoacoustic coaxial probe is fabricated, involving a transparent ultrasound transducer based on the prepared ceramic. The TUT has a center frequency (fc) of 18.5MHz, a −6dB bandwidth of 20%, and a high effective electromechanical factor (keff) of 0.62. In addition, the imaging capability of the miniature probe is firstly confirmed through PA/US dual-modality imaging of in-vivo animals and phantoms, which indicates that the proposed transparent piezoelectric ceramic has great potential for photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging.

On the Optimization of Roughness and Corrosion Resistance of Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion Fabricated Ti–6Al–4V Parts—An Electrochemical Approach

Laser beam powder bed fusion is emerging as a technology for fabricating components made of advanced alloys, such as Ti–6Al–4V. However, it suffers from rough as‐built (AB) surfaces, necessitating postprocessing for desired quality and performance. Electrochemical methods such as electrochemical polishing (ECP) and anodization (AN) are promising postprocessing methods; ECP can effectively smoothen surfaces irrespective of their complexity and hardness, while AN enhances the material's corrosion resistance. However, literature lacks research that discusses combined ECP and AN treatment on surface texture evaluation and corrosion behavior. This work presents a detailed study on the effects of different processing factor levels using a Taguchi design of experiment (DOE) approach and discusses the underlying process mechanisms. The optimized treatment conditions to achieve highest roughness improvement and best corrosion resistance are discussed and the most influential postprocessing factors are revealed and ranked. The treatment that achieved smooth surfaces and high corrosion resistance is ECP at 20 V and 15 °C for 20 min, followed by AN at 15 V for 5 min. This treatment achieves a 72% roughness improvement, providing an arithmetic areal surface roughness of 2.63 μm and a corrosion current density of 0.09 μA cm−2, which is almost similar to the AB part.

Preparation of magnetic films using the laser induced forward transfer technique

In the study, laser induced forward transfer (LIFT) of magnetic materials such as α-Fe and Nd–Fe–B was performed to directly deposit on a substrate using a YAG laser. Usage of an optical shatter and Galvano scanner enabled us to obtain LIFT-made films with a dotted pattern. The effects of conditions of laser irradiation on the deposited films were investigated. There was a threshold energy density for obtaining α-Fe dot patterns with LIFT. Energy density of a laser beam enabled a larger size of deposited dot patterns under the same laser spot size. In LIFT-prepared α-Fe films, atmosphere during the deposition did not strongly affect the crystalline structure. On the other hand, the deterioration of coercivity and squareness in LIFT-made Nd–Fe–B films was observed under a low vacuum atmosphere of 10 Pa compared with those of LIFT-made ones in a high vacuum of 10−4 Pa. It was also confirmed that Nd–Fe–B films with a coercivity of 290 kA m−1 on paper could be deposited via the LIFT technique.

ВЕРИФИКАЦИЯ РАСПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ ТЕМПЕРАТУРНЫХ ПОЛЕЙ ПРИ МОДЕЛИРОВАНИИ ПРОЦЕССА ЛАЗЕРНОЙ ОБРАБОТКИ БИМЕТАЛЛА ВТ1-0+МН45

The results of modeling the distribution of temperature fields during laser treatment of bimetal VT1-0+MN45 are presented. It is shown that the use of a finite element model in the COMSOL Multiphysics software package makes it possible to estimate the distribution of the temperature field in an explosion-welded bimetal VT1-0 + + MN45 when a laser beam passes over its surface.

Effect of laser remelting on microstructure evolution and high-temperature fretting wear resistance in a laser-cladding self-lubricating composite coating on titanium alloy substrate

TC21 titanium alloy possesses the advantage including high strength, low density, and great resistance to damage. Combining it with surface modification technology, it is expected to improve the performance of aviation structural components. This work applied laser remelting technology to realize surface modification, and the hardness and fretting wear properties of the coating were investigated. This research has found that laser remelting technology can effectively refine grain size and improve the performance of coatings. By exploring different laser remelting powers (600 W, 900 W, 1200 W) and the different diameters of laser beam (3 mm, 6 mm), the optimal laser process was obtained with laser power and spot diameter of 600 W and 6 mm, respectively. The average grain size is 2.1 μm. The laser remelting coating has an average microhardness about 980 HV0.2, and it is 2.5 times and 1.3 times higher than the substrate and laser cladding hardness, respectively. A minimum coefficient of friction (COF) about 0.5 was obtained by the laser remelting coating, and the wear rate reaches the lowest of 1.87 × 10−6 mm3/(N·m) at fretting temperature with 500 °C. The abrasive wear and adhesive wear were the main wear mechanisms, and accompanied by oxidative wear. This study provides important reference for improving the performance of high-strength titanium alloy to obtain low defect, high-performance coatings with stable quality.

Vacuum entanglement probes for ultra-cold atom systems

Abstract This study explores the transfer of nonclassical correlations from an ultra-cold atom system to a pair of pulsed laser beams. Through nondestructive local probe measurements, we introduce an alternative to destructive techniques for mapping Bose–Einstein Condensate (BEC) entanglement. Operating at ultra-low temperatures, BEC density fluctuations emulate a relativistic vacuum field. We show that lasers can serve as Unruh–DeWitt detectors for vacuum BEC phonons. A quantum vacuum holds intrinsic entanglement, transferable to distant probes briefly interacting with it—a phenomenon termed ‘entanglement harvesting’. Our study accomplishes two primary objectives: first, establishing a mathematical connection between a pair of pulsed laser probes interacting with an effective relativistic field and the entanglement harvesting protocol; and second, to closely examine the potential and persisting obstacles for realising this protocol in an ultra-cold atom experiment.

Revealing the influence of ring-shaped beam profiles in high-speed laser beam microwelding by synchrotron x-ray imaging

Laser beam microwelding is a precise technique for joining miniature metal components with high feed rates, which is crucial for productivity. However, high feed rates provoke humping formation—periodic beadlike protuberances along the weld seam—that compromise weld integrity. While humping has been associated with the keyhole transition from a narrow to an elongated shape using standard laser intensity distributions (e.g., Gaussian, top-hat), the impact of complex beam profiles, like ring-shaped intensity distributions, remains less understood. In this work, the influence of core-only, ring-only, and superimposed core-ring intensity distributions on humping formation during laser beam microwelding is investigated by means of synchrotron x-ray imaging. Single-track experiments on stainless steel (1.4404) at 1000 mm/s reveal that the keyhole geometry shifts from deep and narrow with core-only power input to shallow and elongated with ring-only power input. Using a superimposed core-ring intensity distribution (Pc = 300 W, Pr = 600 W) results in a U-shaped capillary and the reduction of the humping amplitude by nearly 80% (from 45.61 μm with core-only to 10.29 μm). The additional laser power comes with the tripling of the melt pool width (from 81 μm with core-only to 263 μm) likely decreasing the melt flow velocity. The reduced variability of the capillary length present for the superimposed intensity distribution further indicates a stabilized evaporation behavior. This work provides valuable insights into mitigating humping formation during laser beam microwelding of stainless steel at elevated feed rates using core-ring intensity distributions.

On the effect of energy input on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of laser beam powder bed fusion processed Ti-27Nb-6Ta biomedical alloy

Additive manufacturing of pre-alloyed Ti-27Nb-6Ta powder by laser beam powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) employing a wide range of processing parameters is reported. An in-depth microstructure analysis along the whole process chain from powder feedstock material to additively manufactured bulk structures was conducted employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as X-ray and high-energy synchrotron diffraction. It is shown that near-fully dense parts (≥ 99.96%) with β+α’’ dual-phase microstructure and very homogenous element distribution are obtained in a large process window. In particular, a considerable influence of the energy input during PBF-LB/M on the solidification microstructure, i.e. phase composition and texture, is found. With increasing energy per unit area (EA) values both an increase in the volume fraction of the bcc β-phase and more pronounced texture components are seen. Furthermore, the mechanical behavior was evaluated under monotonic tensile loading. The PBF-LB/M processed Ti-27Nb-6Ta structures feature good mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and strain to failure values of up to 768 MPa and 33.8 %, respectively. Due to the strong impact of the energy input during additive manufacturing on the microstructure evolution, however, a significant inverse strength-ductility behavior is observed. While UTS clearly decreases with increasing EA values, strain to failure increases at the same time. The underlying relationships between processing (energy input), microstructure and mechanical properties are explored and rationalized.

Eliminating blowing-ups and evanescent waves when using the finite series technique in evaluating beam shape coefficients for some T-matrix approaches, with the example of Gaussian beams

When evaluating beam shape coefficients which encode the description of laser beams, for use in some T-matrix approaches such as generalized Lorenz-Mie theory or Extended Boundary Condition Method for structured beams, by using finite series, blowing-ups are observed. When numerical inaccuracies are ruled out, it has been firmly demonstrated that such blowing-ups correspond to genuine physical phenomena, namely they describe evanescent waves. We propose a method to eliminate these blowing-ups and the corresponding evanescent waves (at least most of them).

The shadow of a laser beam

The shadow of a laser beam

Mitigating environmental assisted cracking in heterogeneous welds by laser peening without coating

In this work Laser Peening without Coating (LPwC) was applied underwater on heterogeneous weld joint made of P265GH and X6CrNiTi18-10 steel tubes to prevent Environmental Assisted Cracking on the weld/P265GH steel fusion boundary. Special laser head was designed to precisely deliver 200 mJ green laser beam on the centrally located weld interface on the inner surface of a pipe 76 mm wide and 420 mm long. Residual stress analysis revealed that the LPwC treatment led to generation of compressive residual stresses in the critical fusion boundary area with the magnitude of −168 MPa despite the absence of a protective layer in the peening process. The depth of compressive stresses reached up to 0.8 mm. Plastic deformation induced by LPwC led to grain refinement in the microstructure and improved hardness by 16 %. Samples sectioned from the treated pipe were subjected to accelerated corrosion-mechanical testing which showed more than 2.5x increase in cycles to failure after LPwC. Fractography analysis showed shorter length and decreased number of corrosion cracks after LPwC as well as formation of protective oxide layer on top of the treated surface. 3-point bend testing further showed more than 8x increase in corrosion fatigue life.

Laser microwelding of NiTi/PtIr alloys with laser beam offset

The NiTi and PtIr alloy joint has been employed in biomedical devices to combine the superelasticity of NiTi alloy with the X-ray visibility of PtIr alloy. Laser microwelding is usually used for the joints, but there is a risk of forming brittle intermetallic compounds (e.g., Ni3Ti, Ti2Ni, and Ti3Pt) in the fusion zone (FZ), which could deteriorate joint strength. In this study, laser beam offset (laser offset) was implemented for a butt joint of Ni-49.8 at.% Ti and Pt-10.0 at.% Ir alloy wires to control the intermetallic compound formation in the FZ. Welding with 300 μm laser offset on the NiTi side achieved 2.3 times higher joint breaking stress and 13.0 times higher joint breaking strain than welding without laser offset. The joint breaking stress and strain were enhanced from 221 MPa and 0.9% to 502 MPa and 11.7% by 300 μm laser offset on the NiTi side, respectively. In the absence of laser offset, the dissolution of Pt and Ir into the FZ facilitated the M3Ti (M = Ni, Pt, Ir) formation in the FZ, resulting in crack propagation within the M3Ti. In contrast, the 300 μm offset on the NiTi side inhibited the M3Ti formation by mitigating Pt and Ir dissolution into the FZ. Laser offset on the NiTi side can be an attractive option to enhance the strength and ductility of NiTi and PtIr butt joints.

Multi-resonance terahertz (THz) generation from magnetized cylindrical and spherical nanoclusters of AlAs and InP nanoparticles

We report a theoretical model for THz generation from the interaction of Gaussian laser beams with semiconductor nanoparticles suspended in argon gas in the presence of a DC magnetic field. Our investigations include two different shapes of nanoparticles [spherical (SNPs) and cylindrical (CNPs)]. The laser fields ionize nanoparticles converting them into plasma, which takes the form of spherical and cylindrical periodic nanoclusters with the electron density profile n=n0+nqeiqz, where q is the wave number of the density ripple and nq is the amplitude of density modulation. In our investigations, nanoparticles of AlAs and InP semiconductors are considered. Resonance condition is obtained when the laser beat frequency matches with the surface plasmon frequency of nanoparticles. We obtain resonances at two different frequencies when we apply a DC magnetic field. The resonance frequencies of THz fields shift with the nanoparticles' shape and orientation. THz field amplitude varies with material properties, spacing, size, and orientation of the nanoparticles. The applied magnetic field enhances the THz field and also helps in controlling the field profile. A THz field ∼0.1GV/cm with ∼2% efficiency is obtained for an optimized set of parameters for CNPs.

Trapping Light, Revealing Properties: Laser Trapping as a Powerful Tool for Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Laser trapping, a non-contact technique for manipulating microscopic objects, has gained prominence in scientific research. When coupled with fluorescence spectroscopy, it offers a powerful tool for exploring material properties. This study demonstrates the application of laser trapping in the crystallization of MAPbBr3 perovskites and its simultaneous use for photoluminescence imaging. MAPbBr3 perovskites are a class of materials with exceptional optical properties, making them attractive for various optoelectronic applications. However, conventional excitation methods using UV light can lead to phase segregation and mechanical distortion of these materials. Two-photon excitation, on the other hand, offers advantages such as deeper penetration and reduced scattering interference. In this research, we utilize a 1064 nm continuous wave laser for both trapping and excitation purposes. The MAPbBr3 perovskite, with its absorption band ranging from 400 to 540 nm, exhibits two-photon excitation at 532 nm. By focusing the laser beam at the air-solution interface, we successfully crystallize MAPbBr3 perovskites from an unsaturated precursor solution. Simultaneously, the same laser source is used for photoluminescence imaging, allowing for real-time analysis of the crystal's emission properties. This approach eliminates the need for additional excitation sources and simplifies the experimental setup. The combination of laser trapping and two-photon excitation opens up new possibilities for studying perovskite materials. It provides a gentle and non-invasive method for manipulating and characterizing hybrid perovskites materials, paving the way for advancements in various fields such as optoelectronics and energy harvesting.

Femtosecond optical vortex-induced flower-shaped surface relief structures in an azo-polymer film

We study the formation of surface relief structures in azo-polymers generated via two-photon induced photoisomerization using a femtosecond near-infrared optical vortex laser beam. These structures exhibit exotic flower-like shapes with petals along the azimuthal direction, and they are formed from spatial mode instability, which is associated with third-order nonlinear effects in the azo-polymer. This process is a unique and exotic interaction between light and matter, which may be applied to the development of advanced optical data storage technologies. Here, an additional degree of freedom is offered by the number of formed petals, which themselves are a function of the topological charge of the optical vortex beam.

Self focusing and self phase modulation of two copropagating q-Gaussian laser beams in Kerr nonlinear media possessing electromagnetically induced transparency

Self focusing and self phase modulation of two copropagating q-Gaussian laser beams in Kerr nonlinear media possessing electromagnetically induced transparency

A new model framework of laser powder bed fusion by integrating a powder-scale model with a thermodynamic database

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has been increasingly practised in powder-based additive manufacturing industries, yet the fundamentals including multiphase flow and phase change were not well understood. This work develops a powder-scale computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method-volume of fluid (CFD-DEM-VOF) model integrated with a temperature-dependent thermodynamic database to simulate the multiphase flow with phase change in the LPBF process. The integrated model is validated by comparing prediction results with the experimental measurements. Several LPBF cases with different laser powers, track numbers, and hatch distances are numerically studied. The simulation results demonstrate that the model can capture the key phenomena and key features in the LPBF process observed experimentally, including temperature distribution and morphology of molten tracks. The results also show the random configuration of the powders leads to the asymmetrical distribution of the temperature in the molten pool. The laser beam with a lower power density causes pore defects in the transition zone of the laser track because of partially melted particles, causing a rough molten surface. Incorporating an overlap between two molten tracks is crucial for enhancing the surface quality and mitigating issues such as discontinuity and particle adherence along the track edge. This model provides a cost-effective solution for comprehending and optimizing multiphase flow and phase change phenomena within the LPBF process in additive manufacturing.

A Method of Realizing Adaptive Uniform Illumination by Pyramid Prism for PA-LiDAR

In this paper, we propose a simple method to generate the uniform illumination using a pyramid prism for Plane Array Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (PA-LiDAR). The principle of the pyramid prism shaping the Gaussian beam to form a uniform beam was analyzed theoretically. By changing the parameters of the pyramid prism and laser beam, the profile distribution of the output beam can be easily adjusted. Based on the operation mode and illumination requirements of PA-LiDAR, we have developed a set of LiDAR prototypes using a pyramid prism and carried out experimental research on these prototypes. The simulation and experimental results demonstrated that this method can achieve a uniform illumination beam with excellent propagation properties for meeting the technical requirements of PA-LiDAR. This method of uniform illumination has the advantages of being simple, flexible, easily adjustable and convenient to operate.

Optimizing Lasing Parameters for Fabricating an Efficient Flexible Electrothermal Heater Based on Laser-Induced Graphene

This work involved fabrication of an efficient thin film heater from 100 μm thick polyimide (PI) sheet by scribing it using a carbon dioxide lasing machine through optimizing laser power (P), scanning speed (SS), and pulses per inch (PPI). A 15 mm × 15 mm square pattern was designed using CorelDRAW software and scribed in a rastering mode on top of PI with the help of Universal Control Panel (UCP) software of the laser machine. Laser power of 8 %, SS of 4 % and PPI of 1000 were obtained as optimal parameters for producing laser induced graphene (LIG). This LIG exhibited a low sheet resistance of approximately 16.64 Ω/sq and was thermally stable on the PI substrate even after 30 cycles of repeated heating and cooling. The LIG was found to be highly porous with the aid of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and its structure was crystalline from XRD patterns. FTIR was conducted and showed disappearance of functional groups in PI after treatment with the laser beam. Our developed LIG heater showed great electrothermal performance with maximum temperature of approximately 288.7 °C, rate of temperature rise of 107.06 °Cs-1, and time of 1.85 s to reach 63 % of temperature difference at a low input voltage of 6 V with homogeneous temperature distribution seen in the thermal images taken using FLIR camera. This LIG heating element can be placed in confined spaces because of its flexibility, thinness, and lightness. Additionally, its efficient joule heating effect attracts many applications such as seat warmers, anti-fogging equipment, food shelf displays, etc.

SATURATION OF GAS CONCENTRATION SIGNAL OF THE LASER GAS SENSOR

Nowadays it is possible to determine the type of gas with sufficient accuracy when its concentration is less than fractions using spectroscopic methods (optical, radio engineering, acoustic). Along with this, the value of permissible concentrations of explosive, toxic, harmful to technology and ecology gases is practically important. Known physical experimental studies indicate only a linear dependence of the response of a laser gas sensor at units . The research methods for units are based on the processes of combustion, micro-explosion, structural and phase transformations and are not always applicable in real practical conditions. The work is devoted to the analysis of experimentally obtained fluctuations caused by a laser beam in a gas in a photodiode (signal receiver) due to its influence not only at the atomic level, but also on the scale of clusters of nanoparticle molecules. The gas concentration is estimated by the fluctuation-dissipation ratio. It is shown that the signal correlator is saturated to a constant value when the quantum (laser photon energy) and thermal (nanoparticle temperature) factors are comparable with an increase in the concentration of the target gas. The critical values of the saturation concentration are determined by the equality of these two factors.