Patent ID: 7435927

Claim:
A method for selectively irradiating structures on or within a semiconductor substrate using multiple laser beams, the structures being arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows extending in a generally lengthwise direction, the method comprising: propagating a first laser beam along a first propagation path having a first axis incident at a first location on or within the semiconductor substrate at a given time, the first location being either on a structure in a first row of structures or between two adjacent structures in the first row; propagating a second laser beam along a second propagation path having a second axis incident at a second location on or within the semiconductor substrate at the given time, the second location being either on a structure in a second row of structures or between two adjacent structures in the second row, the second row being distinct from the first row, wherein the second location is offset from the first location by some amount in the lengthwise direction of the rows; and moving the first and second laser beam axes substantially in unison in the lengthwise direction of the rows relative to the semiconductor substrate, so as to selectively irradiate structures in the first and second rows with the first and second laser beams respectively.