Patent ID: 6625181
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
An apparatus for laser machining for optically machining a workpiece, the apparatus comprising:a plane polarized laser beam source adapted to generate a primary plane polarized light beam; a beam splitter, adapted to split the primary light beam into a plurality of secondary light beams; a light modulator array, comprising an array of individually controllable elements that are each adapted to be set to either allow each beam of the plurality of secondary light beams to traverse through, or effectively block it; a microlens array, comprising an array of microlens elements foci of predetermined lengths, said microlens array elements corresponding to the elements of the light modulator array so that light beam passing through an element of the light modulator array is focused by a corresponding element of the microlens array; and control means adapted to independently switch each of the elements of the light modulator between a transparent and opaque modes in a predetermined manner.