Laser processing
First Claim
1. A method of vaporizing and removing a target link structure on a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of:
- providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser assembly and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser assembly;
producing a laser beam output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher, and a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain low absorption of the laser beam output by the silicon substrate; and
directing the laser beam output at the target link structure on the silicon substrate to vaporize and remove the target link structure;
whereby heating of the silicon substrate and hence damage to the silicon substrate is limited due to the output pulse width being less than about 8 nanoseconds and due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controlled, switched laser system for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate includes a diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser output, a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser, and a wavelength shifter. The wavelength shifter shifts the wavelength of the laser output from a conventional wavelength to a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the substrate but shorter than 1.2 μm in order to obtain a decrease in absorption of the laser output by the substrate due to the shift in the wavelength of the laser output. The wavelength shifter is removably insertable into the switched laser system so as to enable the switched laser system to operate at the conventional wavelength and at the wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the substrate. Heating of the substrate and hence damage to the substrate is limited due to the wavelength being beyond the absorption edge of the substrate. Good depth of focus of the laser beam output is maintained relative to spot size of the laser beam output due to the wavelength being less than about 1.2 μm.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of vaporizing and removing a target link structure on a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser assembly and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser assembly; producing a laser beam output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher, and a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain low absorption of the laser beam output by the silicon substrate; anddirecting the laser beam output at the target link structure on the silicon substrate to vaporize and remove the target link structure; whereby heating of the silicon substrate and hence damage to the silicon substrate is limited due to the output pulse width being less than about 8 nanoseconds and due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of vaporizing and removing a target link structure on a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser; producing a laser output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher; shifting the wavelength of the laser output from a wavelength that is not beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate to a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain a decrease in absorption of the laser output by the silicon substrate due to the shift in the wavelength of the laser output, whereby heating of the silicon substrate and hence damage to the silicon substrate is limited due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate; anddirecting the laser output at the target link structure on the silicon substrate to vaporize and remove the target link structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of vaporizing and removing a target link structure on a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser assembly and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser assembly; producing a laser beam output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher, and a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain low absorption of the laser beam output by the silicon substrate; anddirecting the laser beam output at the target link structure on the silicon substrate to vaporize and removing the target link structure; whereby heating of the silicon substrate and hence damage to the silicon substrate is limited due to the output pulse width being less than about 8 nanoseconds and due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the silicon substrate, and whereby good depth of focus of the laser beam output is maintained relative to spot size of the laser beam output due to the wavelength being less than 1.2 μ
m. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of vaporizing and removing target link structures on substrates, comprising the steps of:
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providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser; producing a laser output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher; directing the laser output at a first target link structure on a first, silicon substrate to vaporize and remove the first target link structure, the laser output remaining at a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain low absorption of the laser output by the first, silicon substrate, whereby heating of the first, silicon substrate and hence damage to the first, silicon substrate is limited due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate, the laser output being focused by optics of the laser;shifting the wavelength of the laser output from the wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate to a wavelength that is not beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate; and directing the laser output at a second target link structure on a second substrate to vaporize and remove the second target link structure, the laser output being at the wavelength that is not beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate, the laser output being focused by the optics previously used to focus the laser output onto the first, silicon substrate, without modification of the optics. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of vaporizing and removing target link structures on substrates, comprising the steps of:
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providing a controlled, switched laser system comprising a diode-pumped, solid-state laser and a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser; producing a laser output having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher; directing the laser output through a removably insertable wavelength shifter to a first target link structure on a first, silicon substrate to vaporize and remove the first target link structure, the laser output remaining at a wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m in order to obtain low absorption of the laser output by the first, silicon substrate while maintaining good depth of focus of the laser beam output relative to spot size of the laser beam output, the laser output at the wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate but shorter than 1.2 μ
m having an output pulse width less than about 8 nanoseconds at an operating repetition rate of about 5 kilohertz or higher, whereby heating of the first, silicon substrate and hence damage to the first, silicon substrate is limited due to the wavelength remaining beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate;removing the removably insertable wavelength shifter from the switched laser system, in order to shift the wavelength of the laser output from the wavelength beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate to a wavelength that is not beyond the absorption edge of the first, silicon substrate; and directing the laser output at a second target link structure on a second substrate to vaporize and remove the second target link structure, the laser output being at the conventional wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification