Methods and systems for coherent imaging and feedback control for modification of materials

1. An apparatus comprising:

a material processing beam source that produces a material processing beam that is applied to at least one location of a material in a material modification process;

an imaging optical source that produces imaging light;

wherein the material processing beam and the imaging light share at least one optical element comprising a mirror;

an optical interferometer that produces an interferometry output using at least a component of the imaging light that is delivered to the material, at least a component of the interferometry output simultaneously including reflections of the component of the imaging light from at least first and second optical path lengths to the material; the interferometry output based on a comparison of at least two optical path lengths to the material, wherein the at least two optical path lengths are compared (i) to each other, or (ii) to another optical path length, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);

a detector that receives the interferometry output and produces a detector output that is indicative of a characteristic of the material before, during, or after the material modification process; and

an image processor that receives the detector output and at least tracks material geometry to establish a reference optical path length to the material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the material processing beam source is solid state, fiber, or CO 2 gas laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the material processing beam source is at least one of ion beam and electron beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an interferogram processor that performs an analysis based on the interferometry detector output to produce a depth measurement reflecting how deep the material processing beam has penetrated a phase change region at the location of the material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedback controller performs an analysis based on the detector output and generates feedback control that controls depth of a phase change region relative to an interface that is beyond a current phase change region.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a feedback controller that controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the detector output;

wherein the feedback controller controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the depth measurement.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the feedback controller controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the depth measurement by controlling the material processing beam to be off when the depth measurement indicates a specified depth.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an interferogram processor that performs an analysis based on the detector output to produce an indication of at least one of:

when an aspect of a phase change region has penetrated to a specified depth;

proximity of a phase change region to other regions of the material;

remaining amount of material to be penetrated;

total depth that has been modified;

absolute final depth reached;

fluctuations of depth;

speed of depth change; and

remaining distance to a subsurface interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further configured to sense at least one change at a subsurface level based on the detector output.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one change sensed at a subsurface level comprises at least one of a temperature change, a state change, a change in fluid flow, and a change in a pressure wave.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a feedback controller that controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the detector output;

wherein the feedback controller controls the material processing beam to turn off the material processing beam based on an indication from the interferogram processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a feedback controller that controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the detector output;

wherein the feedback controller controls the material processing beam source to turn on the material processing beam based on an indication from the interferogram processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the other optical path length is selected such that a zero optical path length difference point is below a phase change region.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference optical path length corresponds to a surface of the material;

wherein the reference optical path length is used to correct variations in the detector output.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

(i) a feedback controller that controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on the interferometry output; or

(ii) a record generator that generates at least one record based on the interferometry output at a plurality of times; or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the material modification process is selected from:

welding, including hybrid laser arc welding;

brazing;

ablation;

surface texturing, including dimpling, pitting, roughening, smoothing;

a laser driven chemical process;

metal precipitation;

annealing, including selective annealing;

tempering;

hardening and heat treating;

sintering;

laser incubation;

trench cutting;

trepan drilling; and

drilling of a material selected from metal, polymer, and ceramic.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detector output provides single-sided breakthrough detection during drilling of a material selected from metal, polymer, and ceramic.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feedback controller processes multiple instances of the detector output to identify a change in the detector output in respect of the material being processed, and wherein feedback control is a function of such change.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the feedback controller provides an indication of a modification rate, material motion, or a rate of change, based on the change in the detector output.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feedback controller further generates an indication of optical index of the material based on the detector output.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a computer readable medium;

wherein the record generator stores the at least one record on the computer readable medium.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feedback controller is a real-time controller that controls the at least one processing parameter of the material modification process during said process.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feedback controller performs an analysis based on the detector output and generates feedback control that controls depth of a phase change region.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processing parameter of the material modification process controlled by the feedback controller comprises at least one of:

on/off state of the material processing beam;

average power of the material processing beam;

pulse duration of the material processing beam;

peak intensity of the material processing beam;

density of the material processing beam;

energy of the material processing beam;

particle species of the material processing beam;

wavelength of the material processing beam;

pulse repetition rate of the material processing beam;

pulse energy of the material processing beam;

pulse shape of the material processing beam

scan speed of the material processing beam;

focal diameter of the material processing beam;

focal position of the material processing beam;

spatial pattern of the material processing beam on the material;

material feed rate;

cooling media flow rate;

cover/assist gas flow rate;

cover/assist gas pressure;

cover/assist gas blend;

at least one arc welding process parameters selected from voltage, current, and wire feed rate; and

additive material feed rate.

25. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the feedback controller controls at least one material modification parameter based on at least one change sensed at a subsurface level based on the detector output.

26. A method for monitoring, controlling, or monitoring and controlling at least one processing parameter of a material modification process, the method comprising:

generating imaging light with an imaging optical source;

applying a material processing beam to a location of a material in the material modification process;

wherein the material processing beam and the imaging light share at least one optical element comprising a mirror;

producing an interferometry output using at least a component of the imaging light that is delivered to the material, at least a component of the interferometry output simultaneously including reflections of the component of the imaging light from at least first and second optical path lengths to the material; the interferometry output based on a comparison of at least two optical path lengths to the material, wherein the at least two optical path lengths are compared (i) to each other, or (ii) to another optical path length, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);

detecting the interferometry output and producing a detector output that is indicative of a characteristic of the material before, during, or after the material modification process; and

using the detector output to track material geometry and establish a reference optical path length to the material.