Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining

Chang, Jim; Warner, Bruce E; Dragon, Ernest P

Title: Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining

Abstract

A method and apparatus for micromachining and microdrilling which results in a machined part of superior surface quality is provided. The system uses a near diffraction limited, high repetition rate, short pulse length, visible wavelength laser. The laser is combined with a high speed precision tilting mirror and suitable beam shaping optics, thus allowing a large amount of energy to be accurately positioned and scanned on the workpiece. As a result of this system, complicated, high resolution machining patterns can be achieved. A cover plate may be temporarily attached to the workpiece. Then as the workpiece material is vaporized during the machining process, the vapors condense on the cover plate rather than the surface of the workpiece. In order to eliminate cutting rate variations as the cutting direction is varied, a randomly polarized laser beam is utilized. A rotating half-wave plate is used to achieve the random polarization. In order to correctly locate the focus at the desired location within the workpiece, the position of the focus is first determined by monitoring the speckle size while varying the distance between the workpiece and the focussing optics. When the speckle size reaches a maximum, the focus is located at the firstmore » « less

Inventors:

Chang, Jim ^[1]; Warner, Bruce E ^[2]; Dragon, Ernest P ^[3]

San Ramon, CA
Pleasanton, CA
Danville, CA

Issue Date:: 2000-01-01

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 872980

Patent Number(s):: 6057525

Application Number:: 08/926657

Assignee:: United States Enrichment Corporation (Bethesda, MD)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING
B23K2103/05 - {Stainless steel}
B23K2103/10 - Aluminium or alloys thereof
B23K2103/16 - Composite materials {, e.g. fibre reinforced}
B23K2103/172 - {wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic}
B23K2103/50 - {Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26}
B23K2103/52 - {Ceramics}
B23K26/032 - {using optical means}
B23K26/046 - Automatically focusing the laser beam
B23K26/0626 - {Energy control of the laser beam
B23K26/0643 - {comprising mirrors}
B23K26/0665 - {by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing}
B23K26/082 - Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
B23K26/123 - {in an atmosphere of particular gases}
B23K26/142 - for the removal of by-products
B23K26/16 - Removal of by-products, e.g. particles or vapours produced during treatment of a workpiece
B23K26/18 - using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes
B23K26/382 - by boring
B23K26/384 - of specially shaped holes
B23K26/389 - {of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets
B23K26/40 - taking account of the properties of the material involved
B23K26/50 - Working by transmitting the laser beam through or within the workpiece

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DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; apparatus; precision; laser; micromachining; microdrilling; results; machined; superior; surface; quality; provided; near; diffraction; limited; repetition; rate; pulse; length; visible; wavelength; combined; speed; tilting; mirror; suitable; beam; shaping; optics; allowing; amount; energy; accurately; positioned; scanned; workpiece; result; complicated; resolution; machining; patterns; achieved; cover; plate; temporarily; attached; material; vaporized; process; vapors; condense; eliminate; cutting; variations; direction; varied; randomly; polarized; utilized; rotating; half-wave; achieve; random; polarization; correctly; locate; focus; desired; location; position; determined; monitoring; speckle; size; varying; distance; focussing; reaches; maximum; located; repositioned; optimizing; wavelength laser; desired location; pulse length; repetition rate; laser beam; cover plate; diffraction limited; polarized laser; machining process; surface quality; accurately positioned; near diffraction; visible wavelength; accurately position; wave plate; speed precision; precision laser; /219/

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                    Chang, Jim, Warner, Bruce E, and Dragon, Ernest P. Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining.  United States: N. p., 2000. 
        Web.

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                    Chang, Jim, Warner, Bruce E, & Dragon, Ernest P. Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining.  United States.

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                    Chang, Jim, Warner, Bruce E, and Dragon, Ernest P. Sat .  
        "Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872980.

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@article{osti_872980,

  title        = {Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining},

  author       = {Chang, Jim and Warner, Bruce E and Dragon, Ernest P},

  abstractNote = {A method and apparatus for micromachining and microdrilling which results in a machined part of superior surface quality is provided. The system uses a near diffraction limited, high repetition rate, short pulse length, visible wavelength laser. The laser is combined with a high speed precision tilting mirror and suitable beam shaping optics, thus allowing a large amount of energy to be accurately positioned and scanned on the workpiece. As a result of this system, complicated, high resolution machining patterns can be achieved. A cover plate may be temporarily attached to the workpiece. Then as the workpiece material is vaporized during the machining process, the vapors condense on the cover plate rather than the surface of the workpiece. In order to eliminate cutting rate variations as the cutting direction is varied, a randomly polarized laser beam is utilized. A rotating half-wave plate is used to achieve the random polarization. In order to correctly locate the focus at the desired location within the workpiece, the position of the focus is first determined by monitoring the speckle size while varying the distance between the workpiece and the focussing optics. When the speckle size reaches a maximum, the focus is located at the first surface of the workpiece. After the location of the focus has been determined, it is repositioned to the desired location within the workpiece, thus optimizing the quality of the machined area.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2000},

  month        = {1}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Precision micro drilling with copper vapor lasers
conference, January 1994

Chang, J. J.; Martinez, M. W.; Warner, B. E.
ICALEO® ‘94: Proceedings of the Laser Materials Processing Conference, International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics
https://doi.org/10.2351/1.5058807

Copper-laser oscillator with adjoint-coupled self-filtering injection
journal, January 1995

Chang, Jim J.
Optics Letters, Vol. 20, Issue 6
https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.20.000575

Laser Material Processing
book, January 1991

Steen, William M.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3820-4

Laser materials processing applications at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
conference, May 1993

Hargrove, R. S.; Dragon, Ernest P.; Hackel, Richard P.
OE/LASE'93: Optics, Electro-Optics, & Laser Applications in Science& Engineering, SPIE Proceedings
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145504

Laser machining of objects with simultaneous visual monitoring in a copper vapor oscillator-amplifier system
journal, February 1984

Zemskov, K. I.; Kazaryan, M. A.; Matveev, V. M.
Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. 14, Issue 2
https://doi.org/10.1070/QE1984v014n02ABEH004879

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Title: Method and apparatus for precision laser micromachining

Abstract

Citation Formats

Precision micro drilling with copper vapor lasers conference, January 1994

Copper-laser oscillator with adjoint-coupled self-filtering injection journal, January 1995

Laser Material Processing book, January 1991

Laser materials processing applications at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory conference, May 1993

Laser machining of objects with simultaneous visual monitoring in a copper vapor oscillator-amplifier system journal, February 1984

Precision micro drilling with copper vapor lasers
conference, January 1994

Copper-laser oscillator with adjoint-coupled self-filtering injection
journal, January 1995

Laser Material Processing
book, January 1991

Laser materials processing applications at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
conference, May 1993

Laser machining of objects with simultaneous visual monitoring in a copper vapor oscillator-amplifier system
journal, February 1984