Methods of and systems for heat deposition in additive manufacturing

1. An apparatus for heat deposition in additive manufacturing, the apparatus comprising:

a first optical beam source configured to generate a first optical beam;

a second optical beam source configured to generate a second optical beam; and

an optical system, including an optical fiber having a first length and a second length, the second length having two or more confinement regions;

wherein the optical system is configured to move the generated first optical beam over a target area, and

wherein the optical system is further configured to move the generated second optical beam over the target area so that a path of the second optical beam moving over the target area is dithered about a path of the first optical beam moving over the target area; and

wherein the optical system further includes a perturbation device configured to modify one or more beam characteristics of the first optical beam in the first length, in the second length, or in the first and second lengths, wherein the second length is configured to confine the modified one or more beam characteristics of the first optical beam within the two or more confinement regions of the second length.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first optical beam source is a fiber laser, and wherein the second optical beam source is a diode laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first optical beam source is a first fiber laser, and wherein the second optical beam source is a second fiber laser.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the generated first optical beam has a first polarization, wherein the generated second optical beam has a second polarization, and wherein the first polarization differs from the second polarization.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the generated first optical beam has a first wavelength, wherein the generated second optical beam has a second wavelength, and wherein the first wavelength differs from the second wavelength.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is further configured to co-align the generated first and second optical beams.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is further configured to pre-heat powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, to post-heat fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, or to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam and to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is further configured to fuse powder in the target area using the generated first optical beam, and

wherein the optical system is further configured to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, or to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam and to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first length has a first refractive-index profile (RIP) and the second length has a second RIP,

wherein the first RIP differs from the second RIP.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first length has a first refractive-index profile (RIP) and the second length has a second RIP,

wherein the first RIP is the same as the second RIP.

11. An apparatus for heat deposition in additive manufacturing, the apparatus comprising:

a first optical beam source configured to generate a first optical beam;

a second optical beam source configured to generate a second optical beam; and

an optical system, including an optical fiber having a first length and a second length having two or more confinement regions;

wherein the optical system is configured to focus the generated first optical beam at a plane of a target area, and

wherein the optical system is further configured to focus the generated second optical beam at the plane of the target area; and

wherein the optical system further includes a perturbation device configured to modify one or more beam characteristics of the first optical beam in the first length, in the second length, or in the first and second lengths, wherein the second length is configured to confine the modified one or more beam characteristics of the first optical beam within the two or more confinement regions of the second length.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first optical beam source is a fiber laser, and wherein the second optical beam source is a diode laser.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first optical beam source is a first fiber laser, and wherein the second optical beam source is a second fiber laser.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the generated first optical beam has a first polarization, wherein the generated second optical beam has a second polarization, and wherein the first polarization differs from the second polarization.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the generated first optical beam has a first wavelength, wherein the generated second optical beam has a second wavelength, and wherein the first wavelength differs from the second wavelength.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the optical system is further configured to co-align the generated first and second optical beams.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the optical system is further configured to pre-heat powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, to post-heat fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, or to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam and to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the optical system is further configured to fuse powder in the target area using the generated first optical beam, and

wherein the optical system is further configured to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam, or to pre-heat the powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam and to post-heat the fused powder in the target area using the generated second optical beam.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the first length has a first refractive-index profile (RIP) and the second length has a second RIP,

wherein the first RIP differs from the second RIP.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the first length has a first refractive-index profile (RIP) and the second length has a second RIP,

wherein the first RIP is the same as the second RIP.