LASER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING SAPPHIRE
First Claim
1. A method for laser processing a sapphire substrate, the method comprising:
- periodically switching on a power source to pulse a continuous wave laser, thereby operating the laser 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;
focusing the pulses of laser light at the sapphire substrate; and
laser processing the sapphire substrate with the pulses of laser light.
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Abstract
Laser processing of sapphire is performed 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 (hereinafter “QCW laser”). Laser processing of sapphire using a QCW laser may be performed with a lower duty cycle (e.g., between about 1% and 10%) and in an inert gas atmosphere such as argon or helium. Laser processing of sapphire using a QCW laser may further include the use of an assist laser having a shorter wavelength and/or pulse duration to modify a property of the sapphire substrate to form absorption centers, which facilitate coupling of the laser light pulses of the QCW laser into the sapphire.
17 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for laser processing a sapphire substrate, the method comprising:
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periodically switching on a power source to pulse a continuous wave laser, thereby operating the laser 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;focusing the pulses of laser light at the sapphire substrate; and laser processing the sapphire substrate with the pulses of laser light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A laser processing system for laser processing sapphire substrates, the laser processing system comprising:
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a fiber laser configured to operate in a quasi continuous wave (“
QCW”
) mode to emit consecutive pulses of laser light at a wavelength between about 1060 nm and about 1070 nm;a controller coupled to the fiber laser for periodically switching power to the fiber laser to pulse the fiber laser in the QCW mode with a duty cycle ranging between about 1% and about 10%; a focus lens configured to focus the laser light on the sapphire substrate so as to process the sapphire substrate; a laser head configured to direct the focused laser light to the sapphire substrate and including a nozzle for delivering an inert gas to the sapphire substrate with the laser light; and a gas delivery system configured to deliver the inert gas into the laser head. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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18. A multiple-beam laser processing system for processing a sapphire substrate, the multiple-beam laser processing system comprising:
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an assist laser for generating an assist laser beam with a wavelength and a pulse duration such that the sapphire substrate is sufficiently absorptive of the assist laser beam to modify a property of the sapphire substrate; a quasi continuous wave (QCW) fiber laser for generating a process laser beam with a wavelength between about 1060 nm and about 1070 nm, wherein the wavelength of the assist laser beam is less than the wavelength of the process laser beam; and a beam combiner for directing the assist laser beam and the process laser beam at a target location on the workpiece such that the assist laser beam modifies a property of the sapphire substrate at the target location forming absorption centers and such that the process laser beam is coupled into the absorption centers formed in the sapphire substrate at the target location to complete processing of the sapphire substrate at the target location.
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Specification