US 11,738,405 B2
Acousto-optic deflector applications in laser processing of dielectric or other materials
Mark A. Unrath, Portland, OR (US); William J. Jordens, Portland, OR (US); James Ismail, Portland, OR (US); Hisashi Matsumoto, Portland, OR (US); and Brian J. Lineburg, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC., Portland, OR (US)
Filed on Jul. 8, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/505,422.
Application 16/505,422 is a division of application No. 13/850,168, filed on Mar. 25, 2013, granted, now 10,391,585.
Application 13/850,168 is a continuation of application No. 12/790,082, filed on May 28, 2010, granted, now 8,404,998.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/181,889, filed on May 28, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2019/0329350 A1, Oct. 31, 2019
Int. Cl. B23K 26/03 (2006.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/08 (2014.01); B23K 26/046 (2014.01); B23K 26/40 (2014.01); B23K 103/00 (2006.01); B23K 101/40 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 26/032 (2013.01) [B23K 26/046 (2013.01); B23K 26/0648 (2013.01); B23K 26/0665 (2013.01); B23K 26/08 (2013.01); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B23K 26/40 (2013.01); B23K 2101/40 (2018.08); B23K 2103/50 (2018.08)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
generating a laser beam, the laser beam comprising a plurality of pulses;
passing the laser beam sequentially through a first acousto-optic deflector (AOD) and a second AOD and onto a surface of a workpiece; and
while passing the laser beam through the first AOD and second AOD, applying a first chirped RF waveform to the first AOD to output a first diffracted laser beam to the second AOD and applying a second chirped RF waveform to the second AOD to output a second diffracted laser beam, wherein the first diffracted laser beam is diffracted along a first direction and the second diffracted laser beam is diffracted along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein applying the first chirped RF waveform and the second chirped RF waveform selectively changes a spot size of the laser beam at the surface of the workpiece on a pulse-by-pulse basis.