Automatic laser power uniformity calibration

• US 20070247514A1
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Plotkin, Michael, Braverman, Gregory, Waidman, Ran, Shalev, Maya, Shelef, Eyal, Harush, Shlomo
• Application Number:
  US11/412,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/236
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/705 Beam measuring device

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of laser power uniformity calibration, comprising: printing a first pattern by a first laser beam; moving the first laser beam to print a second pattern such that the second pattern is located at a predetermined distance from the first pattern; printing the first and second patterns by a second laser beam; comparing the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams; and optionally adjusting a power in the first and second laser beams.

Claims

1. A method of laser power uniformity calibration, comprising:

printing a first pattern by a first laser beam;

moving the first laser beam to print a second pattern such that the second pattern is located at a predetermined distance from the first pattern;

printing the first and second patterns by a second laser beam;

comparing the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams; and

optionally adjusting a power in the first and second laser beams.

2. The method, as in claim 1, wherein the moving step is further comprised of:

dynamically shifting the first laser beam to print the second pattern at a predetermined distance away from first pattern.

3. The method, as in claim 2, wherein the shifting step is further comprised of:

utilizing a mirror to dynamically shift the first laser beam.

4. The method, as in claim 1, wherein the comparing step is further comprised of:

obtaining an optical density of the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams; and

comparing the optical density between the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

5. The method, as in claim 1, wherein the comparing step is further comprised of:

utilizing an in-line densitometer to compare the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

6. The method, as in claim 1, wherein the method is further comprised of:

moving the first laser beam to print a third pattern by the first laser beam;

moving the second laser beam to print a third pattern by the second laser beam;

comparing the first, second, and third patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

7. The method, as in claim 1, wherein the printing steps are further comprised of:

printing the first and second patterns by the first and second laser beams such that the first and second patterns are substantially identical.

8. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for a method of laser power uniformity calibration, comprising:

printing a first pattern by a first laser beam;

moving the first laser beam to print a second pattern such that the second pattern is located at a predetermined distance from the first pattern;

printing the first and second patterns by a second laser beam;

comparing the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams; and

optionally adjusting a power in the first and second laser beams.

9. The method, as in claim 8, wherein the moving step is further comprised of:

dynamically shifting the first laser beam to print the second pattern at a predetermined distance away from first pattern.

10. The method, as in claim 9, wherein the shifting step is further comprised of:

utilizing a mirror to dynamically shift the first laser beam.

11. The method, as in claim 8, wherein the comparing step is further comprised of:

obtaining an optical density of the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams; and

comparing the optical density between the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

12. The method, as in claim 8, wherein the comparing step is further comprised of:

utilizing an in-line densitometer to compare the first and second patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

13. The method, as in claim 8, wherein the method is further comprised of:

moving the first laser beam to print a third pattern by the first laser beam;

moving the second laser beam to print a third pattern by the second laser beam;

comparing the first, second, and third patterns printed by the first and second laser beams.

14. The method, as in claim 8, wherein the printing steps are further comprised of:

printing the first and second patterns by the first and second laser beams such that the first and second patterns are substantially identical.

15. A laser power uniformity calibration apparatus, comprising:

a first laser that emits a first laser beam which creates a first two predetermined patterns located at a predetermined distance from each other;

a laser beam shifting means located adjacent to the first laser for creating the at least first and second two predetermined patterns;

a second laser that emits a second laser beam which is located substantially adjacent to the first laser and the laser beam shifting means which creates at least a second two predetermined patterns located at a predetermined distance from each other and from the at least first two predetermined patterns;

an optical density comparison means for scanning/comparing the at least first and second two predetermined patterns.

16. The apparatus, as in claim 15, wherein the first two predetermined patterns are substantially identical to each other.

17. The apparatus, as in claim 15, wherein the second two predetermined patterns are substantially identical to each other.

18. The apparatus, as in claim 15, wherein the laser beam shifting means is further comprised of:

a dynamic shifting mirror.

19. The apparatus, as in claim 15, wherein the optical density comparison means is further comprised of:

an in-line densitometer.