JPWO2020159666A5 - - Google Patents

Description

In any of the embodiments described above with respect to Figures 2 and 3, the first positioner 106 may be provided as a single-axis AOD system or a multi-axis AOD system. Depending on the configuration of the AOD within the AOD system (eg, as described above), the AOD can be characterized as a longitudinal mode AOD or a shear mode AOD, such that it can diffract linearly or circularly polarized laser energy beams. It may be. Thus, depending on the wavelength of the laser energy beam and on the material forming the AO cell of the AOD in the AOD system, the diffraction axis of the AO cell within the AOD will align with the plane of polarization of the laser energy beam incident on it. The internal AODs can be oriented to be parallel or vertical (or at least substantially parallel or vertical). For example, the wavelength of the laser energy beam is in the ultraviolet or visible green region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the AO cell of the AOD is made of a material such as quartz, and the diffraction axis of the AO cell is the plane of polarization of the incident laser energy beam. The AOD can be oriented so that it is perpendicular (or at least substantially perpendicular) to the . In another example, the wavelength of the laser energy beam is in the so-called mid-wave or long-wave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e., wavelengths ranging from (or about) 3 μm to (or about) 15 μm), and the AOD is If the AO cell is formed from a material such as crystalline germanium, orient the AOD so that the diffraction axis of the AO cell is parallel (or at least substantially parallel ) to the plane of polarization of the incident laser energy beam. be able to.

Generally, the second AOD 404 is oriented with respect to the first AOD 402 such that the second axis of rotation is different than the first axis of rotation. For example, the second axis of rotation may be orthogonal to the first axis of rotation or may be oblique with respect to the first axis of rotation. However, in other embodiments, the second AOD 404 is oriented with respect to the first AOD 402 such that the second axis of rotation is parallel (or at least substantially parallel ) to the first axis of rotation. . In this case, the plane of deflection of the first AOD 402 is rotated (eg, 90 degrees or so) relative to the direction of the plane of deflection of the second AOD 404 when projected onto the second AOD 404 . One or more optical components can be placed in the beam path 114' to rotate the deflection plane of the AOD 402 (eg, by 90 degrees or so). See, for example, International Publication No. WO2019/060590A1 for an example of how the plane of deflection may be rotated as described above.

Generally, the AO cells within the first AOD 402 are formed from the same or different materials as the AO cells within the second AOD 404 . Further, the type of acoustic wave (i.e., shear mode or longitudinal mode) used by the first AOD 402 to polarize the incident laser energy beam is determined by the type of acoustic wave used by the second AOD 404 to polarize the incident laser energy beam. It may be the same as the type, or it may be different.

From the above description of integrated beam dump systems 700 and 1000, it can be appreciated that the surfaces provided by frames 702 and 1002 define interior regions within which laser energy can propagate toward the respective beam traps. be. For example, the surface provided by frame 702 defines interior region 726 and the surface provided by frame 1002 defines interior region 1028 . In order to prevent or minimize the ingress of unwanted dust or other particles or objects into these interior regions, either integrated beam dump system 700 or 1000 may: It may include one or more plates spanning the interior region. For example, the integrated beam dump system 700 includes a first plate 728 coupled to the frame 702 (eg, on a first side thereof) and a second plate 728 (eg, opposite the first side thereof). laterally) to the frame 702 (e.g., by screws, adhesives, clamps, etc., or any combination thereof), or A combination of these may also be included. Similarly, the integrated beam dump system 1000 includes a first plate 1030 coupled to the frame 1002 (eg, on a first side thereof) and a second plate 1030 (eg, on a side opposite the first side thereof). a second plate 1032 (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 10) that is coupled (e.g., by screws, adhesives, clamps, etc., or any combination thereof) to the frame 1002); Or it may contain a combination of these. With respect to the integrated beam dump system 1000, although the frame 1002 is described above as providing the surface 1008, the surface 1008 may be (eg, screws, adhesives, clamps, etc., or any combination thereof). by a block (eg, block 1034) coupled to the first plate 1030.

Claims (18)

a laser source capable of producing a laser energy beam propagable along a beam path;
a first deflector disposed in the beam path and capable of deflecting the beam path;
a second deflector optically coupled to the output of the first deflector and capable of deflecting the beam path;
a controller coupled to the first deflector ;
The controller is configured to control operation of the first deflector and the second deflector to deflect the beam path within a plurality of scan fields , wherein at least two of the plurality of scan fields are controlled. are not overlapping each other and do not touch each other ,
Laser processing equipment. 3. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein the laser source is capable of producing a laser energy beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. 3. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein the laser source is capable of producing a laser energy beam having a wavelength in the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. a first scan head including a scan lens;
a second scan head including a scan lens;
at least one optical component arranged to direct the beam path deflected within a first of the plurality of scan fields to the first scan head;
and at least one optical component positioned to direct said beam path deflected within a second of said plurality of scan fields to said second scanhead. Device. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one of said first scanhead and said second scanhead includes a positioner capable of deflecting said beam path. 6. The apparatus of Claim 5 , wherein the positioner includes a galvanometer mirror system. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of scan fields has a rectangular shape. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of scan fields has a square shape. 2. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein at least one of the first deflector and the second deflector comprises an acousto-optic deflector (AOD). The controller is further configured to control operation of the first deflector and the second deflector to deflect the beam path to multiple positions within each of the multiple scan fields. , the apparatus of claim 1. a first deflector capable of deflecting a beam path through which a laser energy beam can propagate; and a second deflector optically coupled to the output of said first deflector and capable of deflecting said beam path. A controller for use with the device, comprising:
a processor;
A memory accessible by the processor that, when executed by the processor, causes the controller to direct the first deflector and the second deflector to deflect the beam path within a plurality of scan fields. A memory that stores instructions to control the operation of
with
at least two of the plurality of scan fields are a first scan field and a second scan field that are non-overlapping and non-tangent to each other;
controller. a first deflector and the second deflector to deflect the beam path to a first plurality of positions within the first scan field and a second plurality of positions within the second scan field; 12. The controller of claim 11, further configured to control operation of the deflector. 12. The controller of claim 11, wherein at least one of said first scan field and said second scan field has a rectangular shape. 12. The controller of Claim 11, wherein at least one of the first scan field and the second scan field has a square shape. a first deflector capable of deflecting a beam path through which a laser energy beam can propagate; a second deflector optically coupled to the output of said first deflector and capable of deflecting said beam path; A non-transitory computer readable medium for use with an apparatus comprising a first deflector and a controller configured to control operation of said second deflector, when executed by said controller to the controller,
controlling operation of the first deflector and the second deflector to deflect the beam path within a plurality of scan fields;
store the instructions,
at least two of the plurality of scan fields are a first scan field and a second scan field that are non-overlapping and non-tangent to each other;
A non-transitory computer-readable medium. causing the controller, when performed by the controller, to deflect the beam path to a first plurality of positions within the first scan field and a second plurality of positions within the second scan field; 16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, storing instructions for controlling operation of said first deflector and said second deflector such that: 16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of Claim 15, wherein at least one of said first scan field and said second scan field has a rectangular shape. 16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of Claim 15, wherein at least one of said first scan field and said second scan field has a square shape.