Patent ID: 6071765
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: B23K,C23C,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A surface treatment method comprising the steps of:providing a surface treatment apparatus including an illumination station having an associated x-axis and an orthogonal y-axis, a laser oscillator emitting laser light along an optical path, an attenuator in the optical path attenuating laser light passing through the attenuator, a scanner scanning the attenuated laser light directed at the illumination station in x-axis and y-axis directions, a beam homogenizer disposed between the scanner and the illumination station homogenizing laser light passing therethrough and a chamber disposed in the illumination station and positioned for illumination by said homogenized laser light;placing a workpiece in the chamber;providing an atmosphere within the chamber as necessary; andsurface treating the entire surface of the workpiece by stepwise irradiating rectangular surface portions of the workpiece in the chamber with at least one shot of homogenized rectangular beam of laser light having a pulse width of from about 80 ns to about 200 ns and having a total energy of at least 10 J such that rectangular surface portions of the workpiece are individually illuminated without forming overlapping exposed surface portions.