US 11,938,564 B2
Systems and methods for generating plasma shields
Faris Hasan Tulbah, Al Khobar (SA); and Rafael Adolfo Lastra Melo, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/229,296.
Prior Publication US 2022/0324055 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 26/142 (2014.01); B23K 26/14 (2014.01); H05H 1/34 (2006.01); H05H 1/40 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 26/142 (2015.10) [B23K 26/1462 (2015.10); H05H 1/341 (2013.01); H05H 1/40 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for creating a plasma shield surrounding a laser beam configured to modify a characteristic of a workpiece, the method comprising:
generating the laser beam, wherein the laser beam is configured to modify the characteristic of the workpiece;
generating a magnetic field around the laser beam and a target area of the workpiece;
injecting a plasma into the magnetic field;
altering a location or a shape, or both, of the magnetic field based on a surrounding environment using a control system comprising an artificial intelligence module; and
generating, using the injected plasma and the magnetic field, the plasma shield around the laser beam and the target area.