Patent ID: 7133186
Filing Date: 2006-11-07
Classification: B23K,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. A method for enhancing beam positioning control from an AOM suited for positioning along a beam path between a laser and a workpiece having first and second transverse surface axes, 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 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 exit angle of the beam path along the first surface axis; controlling 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 first plane, the second transducer modulating in a second transducer modulation zone that is transverse to the first transducer modulation zone and traverses the beam path to affect a second exit angle of the beam path along the second surface axis; and coordinating the first and second frequencies to deflect the beam path along the first and second surface axes to impinge the workpiece at a desired beam position at a cooperative deflection angle resulting from the first and second exit angles imparted by the first and second transducers in response to the first and second frequencies of the first and second RF signals.