Multi-laser system and method for cutting and post-cut processing hard dielectric materials

• US 9,764,427 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
• Original Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
• Inventors: Sercel, Jeffrey P., Mendes, Marco, Sarrafi, Rouzbeh, Schoenly, Joshua, Song, Xiangyang, Hannon, Mathew, Sokol, Miroslaw
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, GEOFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US14/838,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/52 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/54 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/402 involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/70 Auxiliary operations or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 33/0222 Scoring using a focussed radiation beam, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

Laser processing of hard dielectric materials may include cutting a part from a hard dielectric material using a continuous wave laser operating in a quasi-continuous wave (QCW) mode to emit consecutive laser light pulses in a wavelength range of about 1060 nm to 1070 nm. Cutting using a QCW laser may be performed with a lower duty cycle (e.g., between about 1% and 15%) and in an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen, argon or helium. Laser processing of hard dielectric materials may further include post-cut processing the cut edges of the part cut from the dielectric material, for example, by beveling and/or polishing the edges to reduce edge defects. The post-cut processing may be performed using a laser beam with different laser parameters than the beam used for cutting, for example, by using a shorter wavelength (e.g., 193 nm excimer laser) and/or a shorter pulse width (e.g., picosecond laser).

Claims

1. A multi-laser system comprising:

a first laser system for cutting at least one part from a hard dielectric material using at least a first laser beam, wherein the first laser system includes a continuous wave laser operating in a quasi-continuous wave (“

QCW”

) mode so as to emit consecutive pulses of laser light at a wavelength ranging between about 1060 nm and about 1070 nm; and

a second laser system for post-cut processing cut edges of the at least one part using at least a second laser beam to bevel and/or polish the cut edges of the at least one part such that edge defects are reduced;

at least one motion stage for supporting the hard dielectric material and the cut part and for moving the hard dielectric material and the cut part relative to the first laser system and the second laser system, respectively; and

a control system configured to control the first laser system, the second laser system and the at least one motion stage, wherein the control system is configured to periodically switch power to the continuous wave laser to pulse the continuous wave laser in the QCW mode with a duty cycle ranging between 1% and 15% and having a pulse width ranging between about 10 microseconds and about 600 microseconds.

2. The multi-laser system of claim 1 wherein the first laser system further comprises:

a focus lens configured to focus the laser light on the hard dielectric material;

a laser head configured to direct the focused laser light to the hard dielectric material and including a nozzle for delivering an inert gas to the hard dielectric material with the laser light; and

a gas delivery system configured to deliver the inert gas into the laser head.

3. The multi-laser system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wave laser is a single mode (SM) fiber laser.

4. The multi-laser system of claim 1 wherein the second laser system is configured to direct the second laser beam at an angle of incidence relative to a surface of the cut part, wherein the angle of incidence is greater than 0°

, and wherein the controller is configured to move the motion stage with coordinated motion in multiple axes relative to the second laser beam to bevel and/or polish the cut edges of the part.

5. The multi-laser system of claim 1 wherein the second laser system includes laser an ultrafast laser having a wavelength in the IR range, the green range or the UV range.