Machining apparatus utilizing laser beam

• US 20050006361A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Satoshi, Nagai, Yusuke
• Application Number:
  US10/885,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20050006361A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.730
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0617 and with spots spaced along the common axis
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0676 into dependently operating sub-beams, e.g. an array of spots with fixed spatial relationship or for performing simultaneously identical operations
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/53 for modifying or reforming the material inside the workpiece, e.g. for producing break initiation cracks
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/55 for creating voids inside the workpiece, e.g. for forming flow passages or flow patterns

Abstract

A machining apparatus utilizing a laser beam, the machining apparatus being capable of efficiently forming a deterioration zone of a required thickness along a division line. A laser beam from laser beam generation means is focused not to a single focused spot, but to at least two focused spots displaced in the direction of an optical axis.

Claims

1. A machining apparatus utilizing a laser beam, comprising:

holding means for holding a workpiece;

laser beam generation means; and

optical means for applying a laser beam from said laser beam generation means to said workpiece held by said holding means, and

wherein said optical means focuses said laser beam from said laser beam generation means to at least two focused spots displaced in a direction of an optical axis.

2. The machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical means includes at least two focusing lenses arranged in column in the direction of the optical axis and having different apertures.

3. The machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical means includes a splitter for separating said laser beam from said laser beam generation means into a first laser beam and a second laser beam;

a plurality of mirrors for bringing an optical axis of said second laser beam into conformity with an optical axis of said first laser beam;

diameter varying means for varying one of diameters of said first laser beam and said second laser beam; and

a common focusing lens.

4. The machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said diameter varying means can adjust a degree to which the diameter is varied.

5. The machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said diameter varying means is an expander for increasing the diameter.