Patent ID: 7019891
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: B23K,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. A method for enhancing performance of an AOM suited for positioning along a beam path between a laser and a workpiece, the AOM having a beam entrance surface, a beam exit surface, and a first transducer that is positioned on a first transducer surface of the AOM, the first transducer surface being in a first plane that is transverse to the beam entrance surface, comprising: generating a laser beam along a beam path that impinges a workpiece; propagating the laser beam through the AOM positioned along the beam path; controlling application of a first frequency of a first RF signal applied to the first transducer that modulates within a first transducer modulation zone that traverses the beam path to affect a first deflection angle of the beam path along a first workpiece axis with respect to a surface of the workpiece; controlling application of a second frequency of a second RF signal applied to a second transducer positioned on a second transducer surface of the AOM, the second transducer surface being in a second plane that is transverse to the beam entrance surface, and the second transducer modulating within a second transducer modulation zone that traverses the beam path to affect a second deflection angle of the beam path along the first workpiece axis, the second transducer being spaced-apart and oriented at a small angle with respect to the first transducer such that the first and second transducer modulation zones are nonparallel; and coordinating the application of the first and/or second RF signals to deflect the laser beam to impinge the workpiece at a desired beam position resulting from application of one or both of the first or second frequencies to provide a deflection propagation direction resulting from the application of the first and/or second RF signals.