LASER APPARATUS FOR USE IN MATERIAL PROCESSING

Abstract: The laser has a focusing system including a housing (2) with opposing transparent windows (4, 5) between which imaging optics (3) are positioned. The housing (2) also has an inlet (7) for the introduction of pressurised gas into the cavity of the housing. The imaging optics (3) include refractive/reflective lens elements (8, 9) and a phase-only filter (10). The filter (10) has different regions each assigned a particular phase-shift and may be implemented in the pixels of a spatial light modulator or using a fused silica structure that has regions etched to differing depths to achieve differing phase delays by means of the remaining thickness of the silica at each of the regions. The filter (10) ensures that the laser beam incident on a workpiece that is to be cut, for example, has an intensity distribution which extends beyond the focussed spot in at least one dimension. With this laser high precision as well as high speed cutting or welding can be performed using an optimised light distribution.

Description: LASER APPARATUS FOR USE IN MATERIAL PROCESSING The present invention relates to laser apparatus for use in material processing and in particular but not exclusively for use in cutting, welding, machining and other related processing techniques of materials. In conventional laser cutting, welding and machining systems light from a CW or pulsed laser is focused to an approximately diffraction limited spot using refractive lens elements and/or reflective mirrors. When the focused spot is brought into contact with a workpiece the very high light intensity in the focused spot results in localised heating of the workpiece and consequently localised melting, evaporation or ablation of the material occurs. Normally a gas flow co-axial with the optical system is also provided to protect the lens elements by forcing sputtered material away from the lens elements and to enhance the cutting, welding or machining process. In the case of welding the gas is usually inert but for cutting the gas may be corrosive and contribute to the cutting process. The focused spot and the workpiece must be moved with respect to one another in such a way that the workpiece is welded, cut or machined in pre-defined areas. In many cases, however, the optimum light intensity distribution for the process described above is not the one corresponding to a single diffraction limited focused spot. Instead, it has been found that in some cases the use of two focused spots separated by a few millimetres can be advantageous. In WO 98/14302 laser cutting apparatus is described in which the light from the laser is imaged to two separated focal points on a common axis by means of a multi-lens or a curved reflective surface. Similarly, in US5521352 laser apparatus for cutting a metal workpiece is described which uses a semi-silvered mirror to split the light from the laser into two beams. The two beams are then directed, using conventional reflective optics, to opposing surfaces of the workpiece. With the apparatus described in the documents referred to above the light from a laser beam is focussed to two separated focal spots using conventional refractive/reflective optical elements. In general, the apparatus have very limited degrees of freedom and are inflexible. For example, in WO 98/14302 the only selectable design parameters are the radius of the central region of the lens element and the difference in curvature between the central region and the annulus. This significantly restricts the extent to which characteristics such as the separation between the foci, the power split ratio and the axial and spatial resolution of the foci may be selected and in some cases the opportunity for selection of such characteristics is not available. Also, once the design parameters are chosen and a lens element with the appropriate radii of the central region and the annulus is provided, the apparatus is only capable of generating the two focal spots as determined by that lens element. To alter the performance characteristics of the apparatus, a completely new alternative lens element would have to replace the existing lens element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the laser cutting apparatus described in the documents referred to above are limited to specific intensity distributions associated with the two separate focus spots. In GB2278458 a converter for a laser is described that adjusts the intensity profile of the laser beam across a single focused spot. The converter consists of a phase zone plate array consisting of a two dimensional array of close packed diffracting Fresnel zone plates randomly arranged to cause a phase delay of 0 or π radians. The converter is used to reduce fluctuations in intensity across the focal spot and thereby ensures a more uniform focal spot is produced. However, with the converter only the intensity across the focal spot itself is adjusted, the intensity distribution is not altered such that the adjusted distribution extends beyond the focused spot that would be produced without the converter in place. Furthermore, the adjustment of the intensity distribution to increase the uniformity of the intensity is restricted to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The converter cannot alter the intensity distribution of the laser beam in any other way. In particular, the overall distribution of light intensity, the 'envelope' of the light intensity and/or the number of focal spots cannot be altered using the converter described in GB 2278458. On the other hand, the present invention seeks to provide a novel optical arrangement that is capable of generating arbitrary predetermined three dimensional light intensity distributions that may be optimised for particular laser processing tasks. The present invention provides laser apparatus for use in material processing of a workpiece, the apparatus comprising a coherent light source, a housing containing one or more focusing elements and a phase filter, the phase filter having a plurality of regions with each region being assigned a predetermined phase shift from a plurality of possible phase shifts, the phase shifts of the plurality of regions being chosen in dependence on a desired intensity distribution of light incident on the workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by the apparatus in the absence of the filter.. In a preferred embodiment the phase filter is mounted between the one or more focussing elements and the workpiece. The phase filter may be provided in a removable cartridge that is removably mounted within the housing. In an alternative aspect the present invention provides laser conditioning apparatus for use in material processing of a workpiece, the conditioning apparatus comprising an adapter housing containing a phase filter, the adapter housing having connection means for mounting the adapter housing between a coherent light source and one or more focusing elements, the phase filter having a plurality of regions with each region being assigned a predetermined phase shift from a plurality of possible phase shifts, the phase shifts of the plurality of regions being chosen in dependence on the desired intensity distribution of light incident on the workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by a laser apparatus in the absence of the filter. Ideally, the plurality of phase shift regions of the filter produces an intensity distribution that extends beyond a diffraction limited focused spot in at least one spatial dimension. The phase filter may be arranged to produce a desired three dimensional geometry of the intensity distribution. Alternatively or in addition, the phase filter may produce a plurality of separate intensity peaks. The phase shifts of the plurality of regions of the filter are iteratively optimised with respect to the desired intensity distribution of the light incident on the workpiece and preferably the phase shifts of the plurality of regions of the filter are iteratively optimised using a direct binary search. In another aspect the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a phase filter for use in laser material processing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: determining a desired intensity distribution of light incident on a workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by the laser material processing apparatus in the absence of the filter; assigning initial respective phase shifts to a plurality of regions of the filter; determining an error factor with respect to the similarity of the intensity distribution generated using the assigned phase shifts to the desired intensity distribution; iteratively optimising the phase shifts assigned to each region so as to determine final phase shifts for each region of the filter; and generating a phase filter with a plurality of regions, each region having the final phase shift determined by the iterative optimisation step. With the present invention there are very large degrees of freedom in the design of the phase-only filters and this makes it possible to achieve almost any desired intensity distribution defined in a three- dimensional volume around the lens focus. This, in turn, enables high precision, high speed and efficient material processing using a laser. Furthermore, the laser apparatus can be easily adjusted to produce an altemative intensity distribution simply by altering or replacing the phase- only filter, the main and more expensive part of the apparatus, the focusing lens, can be retained and reused. Where a spatial light modulator is used as the phase-only filter, alteration of the intensity distribution is simply a matter of re-programming the modulator and so the laser apparatus is very flexible and responsive to the individual intensity distribution requirements of particular processing tasks. It will, of course, be understood that although reference is made herein to laser sources this is intended to generally cover both coherent and partially coherent laser sources. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 a, 1 b and 1 c are schematic diagrams of a laser focusing system in accordance with the present invention with the phase- only filter in different positions; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional laser focusing system with an adapter incorporating a phase-only filter in accordance with the present invention; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are tables of phase-only filter designs and the intensity distributions in the XZ and YZ planes produced using the filters. As shown in Figures 1 a, 1 b and 1 c a laser focusing system suitable for use in processing of a workpiece consists of a housing 2 that is generally cylindrical within which is positioned imaging optics 3. The housing 2 has opposing windows 4, 5 at each end of the housing, aligned with the imaging optics 3, through which the laser beam passes. The housing 2 also includes a nozzle 6 that is positioned over the work piece when in use and a fluid inlet 7 for the introduction of a pressurised gas into the cavity of the housing. Although not shown, a light source in the form of a laser is aligned with the windows 4, 5 so as to illuminate the workpiece through the focusing system. The laser may be any one of the many commercially available lasers such as C0 2 , excimer or YAG lasers. These lasers are capable of generating light over a broad range of wavelengths from, for example 193 nm with an excimer laser to 10.6 μm with a C0 2 laser. The imaging optics 3 consists of refractive/reflective lens elements 8,9 (refractive lenses are shown in Figure 1 ) for producing a single diffraction limited focus and a phase-only filter 10. The phase-only filter 10 may be positioned in the pupil plane of the focusing lens elements as shown in Figure 1a. Alternatively, the filter 10 may be positioned between the lens elements 8, 9 and the workpiece as shown in Figure 1 b or between the lens elements 8, 9 and the laser as shown in Figure 1c. The phase-only filter 10 may be fixed in the imaging optics 3 or may be provided in a cartridge that is removably inserted into imaging optics so as to simplify replacement of the filter 10 with alternative phase-only filters, in dependence on the filter most suitable for the particular processing task to be performed. As shown in Figure 2, laser conditioning apparatus in the form of an adapter 11 may be provided in the form of a cylindrical tube within which is mounted the phase-only filter 10. The adapter 11 includes engaging means for connecting the adapter to the housing of a conventional laser focusing system, between the laser and the window to the housing. In this way, a conventional laser focusing system can be retro-fitted with the phase-only filter so as to enable greater flexibility in the intensity distributions generated by the laser focusing system for use in material processing. The phase-only filter is preferably square or circular and has a diameter that ideally corresponds to the diameter of the lens elements, for example 38 mm. The filter consists of a plurality of individual regions each assigned a respective phase shift, with the phase shift of each region determined using optimisation software to achieve a predetermined or target intensity distribution defined in a 3D volume around the original lens focus. Where the filter is a binary filter the individual pixels of the filter cause either a 0 or π radians phase delay. However, more complex filters are also envisaged additionally incorporating phase shifts of 1/2π radians and 3/2π radians, for example. The filter may be a pixellated filter in the form of a programmable spatial light modulator, for example. One preferred filter employs an array of 128 x 128, however, arrays of 1 ,000 x 1 ,000 or more are also envisaged. Alternative filters may incorporate ring- shaped, hexagonal or even irregular regions each assigned a predetermined phase shift. The filter 10 may be fabricated from a fused silica substrate using conventional techniques. For example, a layer of photoresist is applied to the surface of a fused silica substrate. The predetermined design of the filter is then patterned in the photoresist using a chrome mask and conventional contact printing or projection lithographic techniques. The photoresist exposed through the chrome mask is subsequently etched to expose regions of the silica substrate and the exposed silica is then patterned by etching the exposed regions of the silica through the remaining photoresist. The exposed silica is etched to a predetermined depth to achieve the desire phase delay Φ and the remaining photoresist is subsequently removed. The etched depth may be calculated using the following equation: Φ λ h 2π n - n 0 where h is the etch depth, λ is the wavelength of the incident light, n is the refractive index of the substrate and n 0 is the refractive index of the environment. Thus, for a phase delay of π radians the etch depth is λ/2(n- n 0 ). The optimisation software, used to determine the design of the filter for any particular target intensity distribution, may employ iterative algorithms such as Direct Binary Search or an iterative inverse Fourier transform to determine the particular design of the filter. For example, to design a filter for a target intensity distribution (x,y,z) at and around the original lens-only focus, a set of NT discrete points (x m ,ym,z m ) are selected in such a way that the intensities at the points Iτm(Xm,ym,z m ) can serve as a representative set for the continuous distribution Iτ(x,y,z). The lens pupil and the filter are then divided into N P regions (pixels). By using Fourier optics theory, or by directly evaluating the optical diffraction integrals, the complex amplitudes due to the individual lens regions, the lens pixels, are then calculated at the target points. These lens-only 'pixel contributions' are denoted A. mn , where m=1..N T and n=1..N P . Also, the effect of the phase-only filter is assumed to be a constant Φ n phase shift within each pixel. The complex amplitude pixel contributions due to the combination of the lens and the filter can then be written as A mπ =A Lmπ exp(iΦ n ). For any given set of Φ n pixel phase shift values, the complex amplitudes and intensities at the target points can then be obtained by summation over all the pixels as A m = ∑A Lnm e iφ» and / m = f . 0) π=\ A g error function is next defined as the metric for the closeness of the desired I τ distribution and the distribution / produced by the lens/filter combination: The iterative design algorithm then comprises the following steps: 1 ) Calculate the A_mn pixel contributions. 2) Initialise the Φ n pixel phase shifts to random or predefined values. 3) Calculate the initial error function go using equations (1 ) and (2). 4) Select a random pixel index. 5) Modify the phase shift value of the selected pixel. 6) Re-calculate the error function. 7) If the new error function value is smaller than the previous one, keep new pixel phase shift value, otherwise reset pixel phase and error function to previous value. 8) Repeat 4) to 7) until changes in g become smaller than a predefined limit. The critical elements of the algorithm are the initial filter phase values, the form of the error function and the way the 'random' pixel indices are generated. The error function can be much more complex than the one shown in (2). For example, it can be highly non-linear, or can even be changed automatically as the algorithm progresses. In Figures 3, 4 and 5 examples of different filter designs for a 0.1 NA focussing lens and a λ=10.6 μm laser are provided with the black and white representing 0 and π phase shifts. The second column in the Figures is a diagram of the filter design with the third and fourth columns showing the light intensity distributions in the XZ and YZ planes respectively (the Z axis is parallel to the optical axis whereas the X and Y axes are perpendicular to the optical axis) and the fifth column shows on- axis intensity line scans. Figure 3a shows the single focused spot produced by the lens on its own. For the above parameters the single focused spot would be -0.53 mm long (along the optical axis) and -53 μm across. Figures 3b-3e show filters designed to produce two on-axis foci with a range of separations between them. Thus, Figure 3b shown two on- axis foci separated by 5 mm whereas the foci produced using the filter of Figure 3e are separated by 20 mm. The filters of Figures 3b to 3e are similar to a Fresnel zone plate, however, they have been optimised to produce only two foci (and not a whole series of diffraction orders) and so the efficiencies of the filters of the present invention are greater than the efficiencies achieved using conventional Fresnel zone plates. Tuming now to Figures 4a to 4d, the phase filters have been designed to produce more than two on-axis foci with Figures 4a, 4b and 4c having equal intensity foci. Figure 4d, on the other hand, shows a four level filter (the grey levels shown in this filter correspond to 0, 1/2π and 3/2π phase shifts) that produces three on-axis foci with intensity ratios of 2:3:4. Figures 5a to 5f show the designs of filters for generating more complex intensity distributions. Thus, Figure 5a shows a filter producing a 10 mm long axial line distribution with a 50% intensity spot at each end of the line i.e. -15 mm apart; Figure 5b shows a filter that produces an intensity distribution similar to that of Figure 5a except that the intensity of the spots is equal to that of the line. In Figure 5c the intensity distribution is similar to that of Figures 5a and 5b except that the intensity of the line is 50% that of the spots. The filter of Figure 5d illustrates that the intensity distribution does not need to have cylindrical symmetry; this filter produces a 10 mm line that is tilted by 2° around the y axis. Figures 5e and 5f illustrate additional filter designs that produce a plurality of intensity peaks in the X-Z plane. Thus, as has been shown, with the present invention there are few restrictions on the target intensity distributions that can be generated using the laser apparatus of the present invention. With the present invention the phase filter can be designed to meet the desired characteristics of the focal spot of the laser apparatus with respect to: the number of focal spots, spatial positions of the focal spots; the peak intensities; the axial resolution; the radial resolution; and the envelope function. Indeed, arbitrary intensity distributions in all three dimensions can be produced using the present invention. As the intensity distribution of the focal spot(s) can be designed in all three dimensions, high aspect ratio machining of the surface of a workpiece is possible. In particular, an extended on-axis line of equal intensity can be generated that is suitable to machine a channel without the need for the workpiece or the laser apparatus to be moved during the machining to re-focus the laser. Although reference has been made to the filter being phase-only, it will be apparent that it is not essential for the filter to be phase-only. Although the present invention has been described above with reference to conventional cutting, welding and machining processes, with the laser apparatus described above micromachining of structures with dimensions as small as 0.25 μm can be achieved. Such micromachining is normally performed using the LIGA process. Using the phase filter of the present invention in combination with conventional lens elements, micromachining with lasers can be achieved with aspect ratios comparable to those achieved with x-rays. Moreover, the laser apparatus is suitable for cutting or otherwise processing a wide range of materials including metals such as steel, wood, plastics including polymers such as PMMA, ceramics and silicon.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Laser apparatus for use in material processing of a workpiece, the apparatus comprising a coherent or partially coherent light source, a housing containing one or more focusing elements and a phase filter, the phase filter having a plurality of regions with each region being assigned a predetermined phase shift from a plurality of possible phase shifts, the phase shifts of the plurality of regions being chosen in dependence on a desired intensity distribution of light incident on the workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by the apparatus in the absence of the filter. 2. Laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the phase filter is mounted in the pupil plane of the one or more focussing elements. 3. Laser apparatus as claimed in either of claim 1 , wherein the phase filter is provided in a removable cartridge that is removably mounted within the housing. 4. Laser conditioning apparatus for use in material processing of a workpiece, the conditioning apparatus comprising an adapter housing containing a phase filter, the adapter housing having connection means for mounting the adapter housing between a coherent light source and one or more focusing elements, the phase filter having a plurality of regions with each region being assigned a predetermined phase shift from a plurality of possible phase shifts, the phase shifts of the plurality of regions being chosen in dependence on the desired intensity distribution of light incident on the workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by laser apparatus in the absence of the filter. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the phase filter is a programmable spatial light modulator. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each region of the filter has a phase shift of either 0 or π radians. 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the phase filter produces a desired three dimensional geometry of the light incident on the workpiece. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the phase filter produces a plurality of separate intensity peaks. 9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the phase shifts of the plurality of regions of the filter are iteratively optimised with respect to the desired intensity distribution of the light incident on the workpiece. 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the phase shifts of the plurality of regions of the filter are iteratively optimised using a direct binary search. 11. A method of manufacturing a phase filter for use in laser material processing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: determining a desired intensity distribution of light incident on a workpiece which extends in at least one spatial dimension beyond the focused spot produced by the laser material processing apparatus in the absence of the filter; assigning initial respective phase shifts to a plurality of regions of the filter; determining an error factor with respect to the similarity of the intensity distribution generated using the assigned phase shifts to the desired intensity distribution; iteratively optimising the phase shifts assigned to each region so as to determine final phase shifts for each region of the filter; and generating a phase filter with a plurality of regions, each region having the final phase shift determined by the iterative optimisation step. 12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the assigned phase shifts are iteratively optimised using a direct binary search.

Inventors: GOODALL FRANCIS NICHOLAS, LACZIK ZSOLT JOHN, GOODALL, FRANCIS, NICHOLAS, LACZIK, ZSOLT, JOHN
Applicants: GOODALL FRANCIS NICHOLAS, ISIS INNOVATION, LACZIK ZSOLT JOHN, GOODALL, FRANCIS, NICHOLAS, ISIS INNOVATION LIMITED, LACZIK, ZSOLT, JOHN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B23K26
IPC codes: B23K26, G02B5, G02B27