Modeling of the free-surface shape in laser cutting of metals. 1. Effect of polarization of the Gaussian beam on the shape of the surface formed

A three-dimensional problem of describing the shape of a surface formed owing to interaction of laser radiation with a substance in processes of laser cutting of metals is considered. The effect of radiation polarization (linear, elliptic, and circular) on the absorption factor is analyzed. For calculating the latter, a generalized formula is proposed, which takes into account the spatial orientation of the plane of incidence of radiation. The influence of laser-radiation parameters on the surface shape and cut depth is studied numerically. In the case of generation of a beam with the TEM$_{00}$ mode, it is shown that the use of elliptic polarization of radiation with a certain ratio of semi-axes, aligned with the beam direction, is preferable.