Blue-laser powder bed fusion system for in situ optical and synchrotron characterization.

Authors

Oluwagbemisola Alo, Terrol Wilson, Rupanker Das, Samuel J Clark, Kamel Fezzaa, Qilin Guo

Published in

The Review of scientific instruments. Volume 97. Issue 9. Sep 01, 2026.

Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of highly reflective metals, such as copper, is challenging under near-infrared lasers because of low absorptivity and unstable energy coupling. While short-wavelength lasers improve copper absorption, experimental platforms that combine controlled powder-bed processing with in situ diagnostic access remain limited. This work presents a laboratory-scale blue-LPBF system based on a 250 W diode laser (443 ± 15 nm). The platform integrates automated powder recoating, controlled argon atmosphere and circulation, and multiple optical access ports within a compact sealed chamber, supporting in situ characterization techniques, such as high-speed optical imaging, schlieren imaging, and transmission-mode synchrotron x-ray experiments. Baseline experiments demonstrate coordinated layer-wise fabrication of pure copper. Schlieren and high-speed visible-light imaging capture plume and spatter behavior under controlled gas flow, and synchrotron x-ray imaging reveals subsurface melt pool geometry during blue-laser scanning. The system provides a controlled platform for time-resolved investigation of blue-laser-matter interaction during LPBF.

PMID:
42770848
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 22 Sep 2026.

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