Combined pulse laser: Reliable tool for high-quality, high-efficiency material processing

With wide applicability and low-cost processing advantages, laser processing, as a mature and versatile tool, is forming an alternative to conventional processing technologies. In recent years, the global laser market ushered in a broad new demand since the gradual increase in the penetration rate of laser processing in consumer electronics, automotive processing, aerospace, medical and other fields. Ultrafast laser and continuous wave (CW) laser are the representatives of high-quality and high-efficiency in laser processing, respectively, but it is a huge challenge to achieve high-quality and high-efficiency laser processing at the same time in the true sense, which has been the goal of the joint efforts of scientific researchers in recent decades. In this context, combined pulse laser (CPL), one of the hybrid laser processing technologies, has proven to be a reliable tool for the high-quality and high-efficiency processing through the processing advantages of different types of lasers and controlling the laser-matter interaction. In this review, the basic principles and characteristics of the CPL processing method are systematically introduced. Also, how the CPL method is for precisely and efficiently ablating, drilling, welding and structuring and their recent advancements are analyzed. Finally, a summary and outlook of the CPL technology is highlighted.