Specific features of the welding of metals by radiation of high-power fiber laser

Abstract

The properties of the plasma that results from the laser welding of metals at various powers of the 10-kW ytterbium-doped fiber laser are experimentally studied. A projection system with an image intensifier based on a copper-vapor laser is employed for the direct observation of metal surface in the course of the laser welding in the presence of the high-intensity background illumination. A method for the shadow photographing is proposed for the analysis of the presence of metal vapor in plasma, since such vapor can lead to the reflection of the laser radiation in the course of welding.