A femtosecond laser based laser processing system having a femtosecond laser, frequency conversion optics, beam manipulation optics, target motion control, processing chamber, diagnostic systems and system control modules. The femtosecond laser based laser processing system allows for the utilization of the unique heat control in micromachining, and the system has greater output beam stability, continuously variable repetition rate and unique temporal beam shaping capabilities.

Femtosecond laser processing system with process parameters, controls and feedback

Various embodiments may be used for laser-based modification of target material of a workpiece while advantageously achieving improvements in processing throughput and/or quality. Embodiments of a method of processing may include focusing and directing laser pulses to a region of the workpiece at a pulse repetition rate sufficiently high so that material is efficiently removed from the region and a quantity of unwanted material within the region, proximate to the region, or both is reduced relative to a quantity obtainable at a lower repetition rate In at least one embodiment, an ultrashort pulse laser system may include at least one of a fiber amplifier or fiber laser. Various embodiments are suitable for at least one of dicing, cutting, scribing, and forming features on or within a semiconductor substrate. Workpiece materials may also include metals, inorganic or organic dielectrics, or any material to be micromachined with femtosecond and/or picosecond pulses, and in some embodiments with pulse widths up to a few nanoseconds.

Laser-based material processing methods and systems

A method and system for determining the position of a radiation scattering/reflecting element, where the radiation emitter is provided at a surface of a radiation transmissive element an on which radiation is incident. This incident radiation is scattered/diffused/reflected by the scattering/reflecting element and guided by the transmissive element toward a detector able to determine the position of the element.

A system and method of determining a position of a radiation scattering/reflecting element

A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.

Methods and systems for thermal-based laser processing a multi-material device

A method and a system for determining the position of a radiation emitter, which radiation emitter may be an actively radiation emitting stylus, pen, pointer, or the like or may be a passive, radiation scattering/reflecting/diffusing element, such as a pen, pointer, or a finger of an operator The radiation from the emitter is reflected from that position toward the detector by a reflecting element providing multiple intensity spots on the detector providing sufficient information for determining the position From the output of the detector, the position of the radiation emitter is determined

A system and a method of determining the position of a radiation emitting element

Methods and apparatus for material modification using laser (302) bursts including appropriately timed laser pulses (702, 704) to enhance material (314, 366) modification. In one implementation, a method for material modification comprises the steps of: providing bursts of laser pulses, wherein each burst comprises at least two laser pulses (702, 704), wherein each laser pulse has a pulse duration within a range of between approximately 10 ps and 100 ns, wherein a time between each laser pulse of each burst is within a range of between approximately 5 ns and 5 us; a time between successive bursts is greater than the time between each laser pulse comprising each burst; and directing the bursts upon a workpiece (314, 366), wherein an intensity of a primary laser pulse (702) of each burst exceeds a damage threshold (802) of the workpiece.

Method and apparatus for increasing the material removal rate in laser machining

A laser device (10) which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber (12) having a volume formed therein and a gain medium comprises solid-state elements (14) containing active laser ion distributed within the volume. A cooling fluid (16) flows about the solid-state elements and a semiconductor laser diode (18) provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber (12) such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium (14) and the fluid (16). The laser device (10) provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc.), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Laser containing a distributed gain medium

A solid-state laser device consists of a gain medium in the shape of a polyhedron. A beam enters the gain medium at one surface of the polyhedron and is reflected internally at one or more surfaces with each reflection occurring in approximate the same plane as the plane of incidence of the incident beam. The beam enters and exits the gain medium at different locations. Pump radiation enters the polyhedron through one or more faces. The laser device may be used as the gain medium for a laser oscillator or a laser amplifier. In one variation, the polyhedron contains an internal core section in which there is no gain material. In another variation, the gain medium further includes one or more surfaces oriented to achieve a 90 degree internal reflection of the beam.

Diode-pumped solid-state laser in a polyhedronal geometry

An apparatus and method for selectively dissociating target molecular species present in a gas mixture is disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention comprises a containment structure for containing a gas mixture having a target molecular species; and a radiation source proximate to the containment structure and configured to apply electromagnetic energy to the gas mixture in the containment structure, the electromagnetic energy having a wavelength that dissociates molecules of the target species. An embodiment of a method of the present invention comprises the steps of containing a gas mixture having a heavy hydrocarbon; and applying to the gas mixture electromagnetic energy having a wavelength that dissociates molecules of the heavy hydrocarbon.

Paul S. Banks

Papers

Method and apparatus for increasing the material removal rate in laser machining

Laser containing a distributed gain medium

Diode-pumped solid-state laser in a polyhedronal geometry

Apparatus and method for selectively dissociating molecules