Patent ID: 6057525
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
An apparatus for precision micromachining and microdrilling a workpiece, comprising:a laser beam produced by a laser, wherein said laser beam has a beam quality better than 2 times the diffraction limit, a pulse length less than 1 microsecond, a repetition rate greater than 2 kHz, and a wavelength that is in the visible range;an x-y tilt mirror to direct and scan said laser beam onto said workpiece, wherein said x-y tilt mirror comprises voltage controlled x and y axis drives that are capable of microradian tilt control at 1 to 1000 Hz;a half-wave plate, said laser beam passing through said half-wave plate prior to impinging on said workpiece;a rotation mechanism coupled to said half-wave plate; andfocussing optics to reduce the size of said laser beam to a near diffraction limited spot size prior to said laser beam impinging on said workpiece.