Abstract:
An apparatus and process for ablating an array matrix of high-density vias in a flexible and rigid desired object. The apparatus contains a mirror based x, y scanning repeat positioning and/or a single axis scanner positioning system that directs a single point of a coherent light radiation beam at desired individual mask segments. These mask segments are formed into a planar mask array. A flat field collimating lens system is positioned between the mirror scanning system and the mask arrays to correct the angular beam output of the repeat positioning mirror and redirects the beam so that it strikes a specific rear surface segment(s) of in the mask array. The flat field collimating lens provides a beam that either illuminates the mask perpendicular to its surface or at preselected optimized illumination angles. Once illuminated, the specific segment of the mask array images and processes a single or a plurality of desired holes or features in a top surface of a flexible or rigid desired object to be processed.

Description:
This application claims benefit of Provisional No. 60/158,478 filed Oct. 8, 1999. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system for burning, drilling, or otherwise forming one or more desired vias, blind vias or other surface indentations, indicia, markings and/or formations in a surface of a desired object, such as a substrate. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are currently available a variety of systems for forming a hole, a via, a blind via or some other surface indentation in an exterior surface of an object, but many of these systems are very expensive to purchase and operate at relatively slow production rates. The present invention seeks to overcome the above noted drawbacks of the prior art by providing a system which is relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain while, at the same time, operates at increased production speeds so that the desired vias, blind vias, or other surface indentations, apertures or markings can be achieved in a surface of a desired object during a shorter period of production time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for ablating a desired high-density array or pattern of vias or other surface indentations or formations in a surface of an object to be processed. 
     Another object of the invention is to facilitate use of a variety of different lasers which operate at different wavelengths and pulse durations, to minimize the associated costs in connection with ablating a high-density array of blind vias, vias or other surface indentations or formations in a surface of an object to be processed. It is to be appreciated that an ultraviolet, a visual, an infrared as well as other types of lasers, extending across the entire spectrum, could be utilized in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus which allows the number of vias or other indentations or formations, to be formed in a surface of an object being processed, to be easily varied during production of the same by control of a substantially collimated beam emanating from the laser. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is relatively less inexpensive to purchase and operate, in comparison to other known systems, while still improving the production rates of the objects to be processed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing the entire system of the Present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective diagrammatic view of FIG. 1 showing the laser imaging system according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation showing an X-axis and Y-axis automated repeat positioner, a collimating lens and a holographic lens which are combined as a single unit for use as the laser imaging system of the present invention 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing a mask for use with the laser imaging system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic transverse cross-sectional view of substrate having a plurality of different sizes blind vias formed therein by the laser imaging system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second embodiment of the laser imaging system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a third embodiment the laser imaging system, according to the present invention, for forming indicia on either a stationary or a moving object to facilitate use of the laser imaging system as a typewriter; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fourth embodiment the laser imaging system, according to the present invention, for forming a desired nozzle array on a stationary object; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fifth embodiment the laser imaging system, according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fourth embodiment the laser imaging system, according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to FIG. 1-4, a detailed description of the present invention will now be provided. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a conventional laser  2  (only diagrammatically shown in this Figure) is employed for generating and outputting a laser beam  4 . It is to be appreciated that the laser  2  can be either excimer or non-excimer laser and further details and operating parameters for the preferred laser, for use with the present invention, will be provided below. The laser beam  4 , generated by the laser  2 , is either an ultraviolet, a visible, an infrared, a coherent radiation beam or some other light radiation beam  4  which is supplied along a laser axis  6  toward at least a first expansion telescope or expansion lens  8  and also preferably then supplied to a second expansion telescope or expansion lens  10 . The purpose of the expansion telescope or lens  8  and/or  10  is/are to suitably expand the diameter of the generated ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  so as to have a desired resulting laser diameter. As such expansion feature and teaching is conventional and well known in the art, a further detail discussion concerning the same is not provided. 
     The expanded ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation beam  4  is then directed, along the laser axis  6 , at a first reflective mirror  12  of an X-axis automated repeat positioner  14  of the system  1 . The first reflective mirror  12  of the X-axis automated repeat positioner  14  controls the X-coordinate, along the surface of the object to be processed  0 , at which the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  will be reflected. The first reflective mirror  12  suitably redirects or alters the path of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  and then reflects the beam toward a second reflective mirror  16 , controlled by a Y-axis automated repeat positioner  18  of the system  1 . The second reflective mirror  16 , associated with the Y-axis automated repeat positioner  18 , controls the Y-coordinate, along the surface  42  of the object to be processed  0 , at which the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  will be reflected. The second reflective mirror  16  suitably redirects or alters the path of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  and then reflects the alter beam toward a rear surface  24  of a flat field collimating lens or some other refractive, diffractive or holographic component  22  (hereafter referred to as a “collimating component”), which is well known in this art. Both the X-axls automated repeat positioner  14  and the Y-axis automated repeat positioner  18  are coupled to a computer controller  20  which controls the reflective positions of the first and second reflective mirrors  12  and  16 , to suitably reflect and/or redirect the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam at a desired location on the rear surface  24  of the field collimating lens or holographic component  22 . As such automated control feature of the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14  and  18  is well known in the art, a further detail discussion concerning the same is not provided. 
     A suitable X-axis automated repeat positioner or a Y-axis automated repeat positioner  14  or  18  is sold by Cambridge Technology, of Cambridge, Mass., as part no. 6870M Optical Scanner Heads. It is to be appreciated that other currently available scanners or repeat positioners, which facilitate accurate reflecting and/or redirecting of a laser beam, at a desired location of an X, Y coordinate system, could also be employed with the teaching of the present invention. 
     The reflected ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4 ′ enters the rear surface  24  of the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22 , passes therethrough and is suitably altered in a conventional manner by the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22  so that the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam which is emitted from the front surface  26  of the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22  is a substantially collimated beam  28 . This substantially collimated beam  28  is redirected, by the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22 , toward a desired area or portion of a rear surface  30  of a holographic Imaging lens  32  (or some other imaging element such as a holographic element, a diffractive element and a binary mask element) and strikes that desired area or portion. The holographic imaging lens  32  is designed such that as the light enters by way of the rear surface  30  of one of the holographic imaging segments  36 , the light will be focused, by that holographic imaging segment  36  of the holographic imaging lens  32 , at a desired location or locations along a top surface  42  of the object to be processed O. The object to be processed O is located at a desired working distance D, for example, between 5 mm and 1000 mm, and preferably between about 200 to 300 mm from the holographic imaging lens  32 ,. The altered light is emitted from the front surface  38  of the holographic imaging lens  32  as focused light beam  43 . 
     This focused light beam  43  is directed at a desired location(s) along the top or other desired surface  42  of the object to be processed for drilling, burning or otherwise forming a desired blind via(s), aperture(s), opening(s), indicia, indentation(s) or other surface formation(s)  44  therein of a desired size and depth. The size of the formation(s)  44  is determined and/or defined by the design characteristics of the holographic imaging segment  36  of the holographic imagining lens  32 . In addition, the depth of the formation(s)  42  is a direct function of the duration or amount of pulses of the laser  2  emitted at the top surface  42  of the object to be processed. That is, the longer the duration or greater of the number of pulses of the laser  2 , the greater the depth of the formation(s)  44  in the object to be precessed O, while the shorter the duration or the smaller the number of pulses from the laser  2 , the smaller the depth of the formation(s)  44  in the object to be precessed O. As diagrammatically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the focused laser beam  43  is shown drilling, burning or otherwise forming a desired formation(s)  42 , such as a blind via, in the top surface of the object to be processed O. 
     An important distinction between the present invention and the prior art is that X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioner  14 ,  18  are particularly adapted to redeflecting the laser beam at only selected or desired rear areas of the holographic imaging lens  32 . As is conventionally done in the prior art, scanners are used to scan the laser beam across the entire rear surface of the holographic imaging lens, not only at a selected area or areas. 
     With reference to FIG. 3, a combined X-axis, Y-axis automated repeat ipositioner, collimating lens and holographic unit can be seen. The X and Y-axis automated repeat positioners are generally designated as  14 ,  18 , the collimating lens or other holographic component  22  is located beneath the automated positioners and the holographic imaging lens  32  is located to receive the collimated light from the collimating lens or other holographic component  22 . The arrangement results in a compact design for the main components of the imaging system  1  of the present invention. 
     As can be seen in further detail in FIG. 4, the holographic imaging lens  32 , according to the present invention, is partitioned into a plurality of desired holographic imaging segments  36  and each holographic imaging segment  36  is designed to form, burn or drill at least one desired size via, blind via, hole, aperture, indicia, indentation, feature or other formation  44  in the top surface  42  of the object to be processed O. The holographic imaging lens  32 , as shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  4 , is partitioned into thirty-six ( 36 ) different holographic imaging segment  36  and each segment  36  is designed to form, according to the first embodiment, a corresponding blind via or other formation(s) or feature(s)  44  in the top surface of the object to be processed O. 
     It is to be appreciated that the number of holographic imaging segments  36 , being incorporated into the holographic imaging lens  32 , can vary from application to application. Further, the number of holes, apertures, vias, or other formation(s) or feature(s)  44 , to be formed by each holographic imaging segment  36 , can be changed from application to application. Accordingly, the holographic imaging lens  32 , according to the present invention, can be designed to drill, form or otherwise burn only a few or many tens of thousands of formation(s) or feature(s)  44  in the desired object to be processed O. The important feature, according to the present invention, is that all the holographic imaging segments  36  are arranged and located closely adjacent one another so as to all lie in the same plane P which plane extends parallel to the top surface  42  of the object to be processed. 
     The holographic segments  36  are either glued or otherwise are affixed to one another, in a conventional manner or a perimeter retaining ring or member encases and maintains the holographic segments in their close adjacent planar relationship. Alternatively, the holographic imaging lens can be formed from a single unitary piece of material and each holographic segment can be designed to form the desired hole(s), aperture(s), via(s), or other formation(s) or feature(s)  44 . 
     According to the present invention, the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14  and  18  are controlled by the computer  20 , or other automated system to select the desired area or portion of the rear surface  24  of the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22  to be illuminated by the substantially collimated beam  28 . The substantially collimated beam  28  passes through the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22  and emanates from a front surface  26  thereof toward the rear surface of a desired one of the holographic imaging segments  36  of the holographic imaging lens  32 . The substantially collimated beam  28  strikes a desired area or portion, within the holographic imaging segment  36 , and the substantially collimated beam  28  is focused, in a conventional manner, by the holographic imaging segment  36  to result in a focused beam  43  which drills, burns, or forms the desired hole(s), aperture(s) or other formation(s)  44  in the top surface  42  of the object to be processed O. 
     The holographic imaging lens  32 , which comprises a plurality of holographic imaging segments  36 , can be obtained from a variety of sources such as, for example, Diffraction Ltd. of Waitsfield, Vt., Digital Optics Corporation, of Charlotte, N.C., MEMS Optical, LLC. of Huntsville, Ala. and Rochester Photonics Corp. of Rochester, N.Y. 
     It is to be appreciated that if a total of thirty-six ( 36 ) holes or formations  44  were to be formed in the top surface  42  of the object to be processed O, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each one of the holographic imaging segments  36  of the holographic imaging lens  32  would be designed to form a single hole or formation  44  and be sequentially illuminated with the substantially collimated beam  28  in a desired sequential order for a desired number of pulses or a desired pulse duration. Alternatively, if only some holes or formations  44  are required to be burned, drilled or formed in the top surface  42  of the object to be processed O, but other holes or formations  44  are not required, only the holographic imaging segments  36  which are designed to form the desired holes or formations  44  in the top surface  42  of the substrate to be processed  0  are illuminated with the substantially collimated beam  28  while the holographic imaging segments  36 , which would form the unwanted holes or formations  44  in the top surface of the substrate to be processed O, are not illuminated with the substantially collimated beam  28 . 
     The holographic imaging lens  32 , as can be seen in FIG. 4, essentially comprises a plurality of separate holographic imaging lens or segments  36  which are all located closely adjacent one another, in a desired orientation and all lying substantially in the same plane P to form a continuous unitary component. This arrangement facilitates a compact design of the holographic imaging lens  32  and allows the system to selectively and readily control which holographic imaging segments  36 , of the holographic imaging lens  32 , are activated during production of a desired substrate or object to be processed O via appropriate control of the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14  and  18 . Such construction provides the system, according to the present invention, with greater flexibility and allows variation in the amount and location of the holes or formations  44  to be formed, burnt or drilled in the top surface  42  of object to be processed O during commercial production of the same. 
     With reference to FIG. 5, an example of an object to be processed O can be seen. As shown in this Figure, the object to be processed O contains a base layer  50  which comprises a standard metal such as aluminum, copper, gold, molybdenum, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, titanium, tungsten, metal nitrides or a combination(s) thereof. The thickness of the metal base layer  50  may vary but typically ranges between about 9 to about 36 μm and may be as thick as about 70 μm. The top layer  52  comprises a standard organic dielectric materials as BT, cardboard, cyanates esters, epoxies, phenolics, polyimides, PTFE, various polymer alloys, or combinations thereof. The thickness of the top layer  52  is generally thicker than the base layer  50  and typically ranges between about 50 to about 200 μm. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 5, a plurality of blind vias  46  are formed therein and the blind vias can have different diameters. The diameter of the blind vias  46  are determined by the focusing characteristics of the holographic imaging lens  32 , e.g. the holographic imaging lens focuses the supplied collimated light beam  28  over a wider area to achieve larger diameter blind via and focuses the light over a narrower area to achieve narrower diameter blind via. In both applications, it is to be appreciated that the duration or number of pulses are controlled by the system  1  to insure that the entire top layer  52  of the object to be processed O is obliterated thereby exposing the underlying metal base layer  50  while being of a substantially short enough intensity and duration so as not to in any way destroy or obliterate the underlying base layer  50 . it is to be appreciated that a variation of the holographic imaging lens, as shown in FIG. 6, can be substituted in place of the field collimating lens  22 . If a collimating holographic imaging lens  32 ′ is employed as the field collimating lens, then the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ is designed so as to receive light from the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14  and  18  and redirect the supplied ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4 , as a substantially collimated beam  28 , at a desired rear surface of one of the holographic imaging segments  36  of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′. The holographic imagining lens  32 ′ is designed to collimate the supplied light beam and redirect the beam  4 ′ light toward the holographic imagining lens  32 ′ so that the substantially collimated beam  28  enters the rear surface of the holographic imagining lens  32 ′ at an angle of about of between about 0° to about 90° or some other predetermined angle depending upon the design parameters of the imaging system  1 . 
     The inventor has appreciated that if the substantially collimated beam  28 , supplied by the field collimating lens or other holographic component  22 , is redirected at the rear surface of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ at an angle of about 45° or so, the efficiency of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ is significantly increased over the efficiency when the substantially collimated beam  28  is redirected at the rear surface of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ at an angle of about 90°. That is, the efficiency of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ is less when the substantially collimated beam  28  enters the rear surface of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ at an angle of about 90° while the efficiency increases if the substantially collimated beam  28  enters the rear surface of the holographic imaging lens  32 ′ at a suitable angle of about between 0° and 90°. Accordingly, the desired angle in which the substantially collimated beam  28  enters the rear surface of the holographic imagining lens  32 ′ can vary, from application to application, and can be determined by trial and error depending upon the parameters of the imaging system  1 . Therefore, by using a holographic imaging lens  32 ′ as the field collimating lens  22 , the overall efficiency of this system can be increased without changing or modifying any of the other system requirements or parameters. 
     Turning now to FIG. 7, the holographic imaging lens  32  can be designed to result essentially in a keyboard  32 ″, e.g. there can be twenty-six (26) holographic imaging segments  36 ″ with each holographic segment being designed to form, burn or drill one letter of the alphabet, ten (10) additional holographic imaging segments  36 ″ with each holographic segment being designed to form, burn or drill one number zero through  9 , a further plurality of holographic imaging segments  36 ″ with each additional holographic segment being designed to form, burn or drill desired punctuation, indicia, etc. By operation of the laser (not shown in this Figure) and adequately controlling of the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14 ,  18 , via the computer  20 , the ultraviolet, visible, infrared or other light radiation laser beam  4  can be collimated and supplied at a rear surface of a desired one of the holographic imaging segments  36 ″ of the keyboard holographic imaging lens  32 ″ to type, drill or form a desired letter, numeral, indicia, etc. in a top surface of an object to be processed, e.g. a cable or wire  50  running at high speed which is to have a desired marking form thereon such as “A 0903 C”. 
     According to this embodiment, each image or other indicia to be formed by the keyboard holographic imaging lens  32 ″ is focused to form the desired indicia at the same area or “printing location”  52  so that during operation of the system  1 , as a cable or wire  50 , for example, moves past that “printing location”  52 , the X-axis and the Y-axis automated repeat positioners  14 ,  18  are controlled by the computer  20  to select the desired holographic imaging segment  36  so as to type, burn, drill or form a desired indicia, character, numeral, etc., in an exterior surface  54  of the wire  50  or other object as it moves past the “printing location”  52 . It is to be appreciated that the system, according to the present invention, incorporating the keyboard holographic imaging lens  32 ″ operates at a very high speed such that the desired indicia, character, numeral, etc. are essential printed in sequential order one after the other to result in a desired pattern, e.g. “A 0903 C”. 
     Instead of using alphanumeric characters for the keyboard, each segment  36 ″ can be provided with suitable light altering information for forming a bar code or other desired marking indicia on a surface of an object as it moves relative to the system or remain stationary at the “printing location”  52 . As such teaching is conventional and well known to those skilled in the art, a further detailed description concerning the same will not be provided. 
     The above described embodiment is particularly useful for marking alpha-numeric characters at a rate that is approximately double the rate of any marking system currently available on the market. This system uses a specially designed segmented array mass to create the required surface marks, which may be, for example, bar codes, letters, numbers, punctuation marks, logos, foreign characters, etc. This segmented mass elements image every character in the array at the same locations so that the object or component, requiring the surface marking, is suitably moved or indexed relative to the image or printing location or zone so as to mark the desired alpha-numeric characters in the exterior surface of the object or component. 
     A further application of the marking system, according to the present invention, is to for use with marking different fiber materials with a code or code identifying or designating a specific production batch number(s), date(s), facility, and other assorted information that would be helpful to forensic investigators when investigating a crime scene or when explosives have been used. Such small fibers can be made from a host of materials such as Kevlar, carbon, glass, quartz, stainless steel, plastic, etc. The system, according to the present invention, will allow these fibers to be effectively mark at extremely low costs and at a high speed. 
     A further application is two-dimensional bar code marking at high speed. The system, according to the present invention, can be configured to provide high speed production marking of two-dimensional bar codes onto a either a stationary or a moving surface of a product or object. The system&#39;s segmented lens mass array can be used to image a series or group of associated indentations or surface markings that can be formed into a two-dimensional bar code or other indicia that can be read using standard optical character recognition software. This method of marking is similar to the way the present invention drills the holes of a nozzle array except the system will only sufficiently mark the top surface to form the desired two-dimensional bar code character or other indicia. It is to be appreciated that a plurality of closely arranged and aligned indentations or surface marks will comprise or form the each desired bar code, character, indicia, numeral, etc. The system offers an extremely high rate marking capability that is currently not available by known marking systems. 
     It is to be appreciated that the system of the present invention can be used to perforate a plurality of small orifices or holes (see FIG.  8 ), in a single or a multi-layered material, to enable the formation of a desired nozzle array for use in forcing a liquid (e.g. a perfumed, a solvent, a pharmaceutical, a chemical, etc.) there through to result in a desired spray configuration or pattern. The force fluid, upon exiting from the nozzle array, is atomized into small minute particles and dispersed in a desired spray configuration at a target. The system, according to the present invention, allows the formation of such orifices, nozzles, holes, etc., in a variety of different materials including, but not limited to, stainless steel, polyimide, lexan, brass, molybdenum, copper, aluminum, etc, for example. 
     The present invention is also well-suited for forming a set of miniature surface markings on an interior surface adjacent a breech end of a gun barrel of a firearm. In particular, the present system can be employed to form a desired unique bar code, matrix, an alpha numeric code, or any conventional identifying indicia on an inner surface adjacent the breech end of the gun barrel. Once the gun barrel is suitably marked with the identifying indicia, when the firearm is discharged in a conventional manner, the loaded gun shell expands, due to the gunpowder within the gun shell instantaneously igniting and heating the gun shell. This rapid expansion of the gun shell causes the exterior surface of the gun shell to be forced against the inwardly facing surface adjacent the breech end of the gun barrel such that the identifying indicia, formed on the inwardly facing surface of the breech end of the gun barrel, forms a matching impression or marking on the exterior surface of the gun shell. Upon discharge of the gun shell from the gun barrel, this matching impression or marking facilitates identifying which gun shell was discharged from which gun barrel. Such marking of the gun shell assists ballistics experts with confirm that a particular gun shell was discharged from a particular barrel of a firearm. If desired, a plurality of identical miniature surface markings can be formed, at spaced locations about the interior surface adjacent the breech end of a gun barrel of a firearm, to make in more difficult for an end user to located and completely remove all of such miniature surface markings from the interior surface of the breech end of the gun barrel so marked. 
     Suitable lasers for use with the present invention will now be briefly discussed. The present invention contemplates use of a variety of different lasers such as a slow flow CO2, CO2 TEA (transverse-electric-discharge), Impact CO2, and Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, and Nd:YAP and Nd:YVO and Alexandrite lasers. In addition, it is to be appreciated that the system, according to the present invention, can utilize all other forms of lasers including gas discharge lasers, solid state flash lamp pumped lasers, solid state diode pumped lasers, ion gas lasers, and RF wave-guided lasers. The above noted lasers are currently available on the market from a variety of different manufacturers. 
     As used in the appended claims, the term “coherent light radiation source” is intended to cover ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and other types of known light radiation beams. 
     It is to be appreciated that a plurality of identical systems  1 , similarly to the above described embodiments, can be simultaneously used to form, drill or burn a desired matrix of features in the same object to be processed. Further, it is to be appreciated that there are a variety of different arrangements that could be utilized to move the object to be processed O relative to the focused beam  43 . For example, the object O, the field collimating lens other holographic component 22 , and the holographic Imaging lens  32  can all be mounted on a mounting table  56  which is movable in the X-axis and the Y-axis directions and coupled to the computer  20  for controlling movement of the table  56  relative to the focused beam  43  (FIG.  9 ). Alternatively, the X-axis Y-axis repeat positioner  14 ,  18  can be replaced with a single mirror mounted on a table  12 ′ and movable in both the X- and Y-axis directions (FIG.  10 ). This table  12 ′ is also coupled to the computer  20  and appropriately redirects the light beam to a desired rear surface of the field collimating lens other holographic component  22  to facilitate Illumination of a desired one of the holographic imaging segments  36 . As such teaching in conventional and well known in the art, a further detailed description concerning the same is not provided.