Patent ID: 7057135
Filing Date: 2006-06-06
Classification: B23K,B82Y

Abstract:
1. An ultrafast laser micro-machining system for machining features smaller than 200 nm on a work piece, the ultrafast laser micro-machining system comprising: an ultrafast laser source for generating pulses of UV laser light having a duration of less than about 1 ps and a peak wavelength of less than about 380 nm; a work place holder for holding the work piece; an imaging system to image a target area of the held work piece; guiding optics for guiding the pulses of UV laser light along a beam path from the ultrafast laser source to the target area of the held work piece; a focusing mechanism to focus the pulses of UV laser light to a substantially diffraction limited beam spot within the target area, the beam spot having a radial fluence variation; an alignment mechanism to provide fine alignment control of the substantially diffraction limited beam spot within the target area; and a fluence control means for controlling fluence of the substantially diffraction limited beam spot of the ultrafast laser micro-machining system in the target area of the held work piece such that a diameter of a section of the target area machined by one of the pulses of UV laser light is less than 200 nm, and edges of the section of the target area are proximate to a portion of the beam spot having a steepest slope of the radial fluence variation.