Patent ID: 8207472

Claim:
In a method of capturing and removing debris generated by a laser micromachining system that includes a nozzle through which a laser beam propagates and a jet of cutting head gas flows at a cutting head gas flow rate along a common axis, respectively, to micromachine and thereby form a kerf in a specimen and to eject, through the kerf, debris generated by the micromachining of the specimen, the improvement comprising: directing the laser beam for incidence on a target surface of the specimen to micromachine the specimen assisted by the flow of cutting head gas, the micromachining of the specimen ejecting from the kerf at high velocity surface debris of near molten temperature of the specimen in a direction along the target surface and ejecting axial debris in a direction transverse to the target surface; providing a substantially closed barrier having a melting temperature and an effective center from which a perimeter distance defines in part a barrier internal volume, the barrier comprising a flexible fiber brush in the shape of a ring that includes first and second concentric ring members positioned, respectively, nearer to and farther from the common axis, the first ring member formed of temperature resistant bristle material and the second ring member formed of resilient, shape restorative bristle material; positioning the barrier to encompass the common axis and thereby trap the ejected surface debris in the barrier internal volume; setting the perimeter distance from the common axis to a value that allows the ejected surface debris to cool to a temperature below the melting temperature of the barrier before it traps the ejected surface debris; and introducing at a surface gas flow rate a surface gas flow directed to carry the ejected surface debris out of the barrier internal volume, the surface gas flow rate being greater than the cutting head gas flow rate to enable automatic capture and disposal of the surface debris produced by the laser micromachining of the specimen.