In　present　study,　quartz　glass　and　copper,　which　are　with　a　large　difference　of　coefficient　of　thermal　expansion　by　38　times,　were　successfully　welded　without　any　interlayer　by　nanosecond　(ns)　laser　under　non-optical　contact　for　the　first　time.　By　reasonably　tuning　the　welding　parameters,　well-formed　quartz　glass/copper　joints　without　any　defects　such　as　microcracks　or　voids　can　be　achieved.　The　welded　seam　includes　laser-unirradiated　smooth　region　and　laser-irradiated　spindle　melted　region　and　both　the　region　are　composed　of　“Cu2O″-SiO2　system　(Cu–O–Si　system)　and　CuO.　The　formation　of　such　a　particular　microstructure　feature　is　attributed　to　the　recoil　pressure　from　ns　laser　ablation　and　the　Marangoni　convection　at　the　interface.　The　parameters　of　ns　laser　welding　including　laser　power,　scanning　velocity　and　the　number　of　scans　influence　the　laser　energy　input　and　thermal　accumulation　greatly　during　welding,　thus　affecting　the　interfacial　feature　and　the　mechanical　property　of　the　resultant　joints.　The　shear　strength　of　the　joint　can　reach　33.4　MPa,　which　is　about　80%　of　quartz　glass　shear　strength.　The　metallurgical　bonding　from　interfacial　reaction　and　mechanical　interlocking　from　physical　spindle　structures　are　the　main　reasons　for　achieving　a　high　shear　strength　of　the　joint.　We　expect　this　study　could　provide　a　new　idea　for　joining　materials　with　large　differences　in　thermophysical　properties.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.