Patent ID: 8247731

Claim:
An apparatus for removing material from a surface of an object, the apparatus comprising: a laser pulse producing means; a first mirror capable of reflecting a laser pulse produced by the laser pulse producing means; a first variable beam splitter; a first plurality of mirrors capable of receiving and reflecting a first beam through a first focal length lens; a second plurality of mirrors capable of receiving and reflecting a second beam; a second variable beam splitter capable of receiving the first beam from the first plurality of mirrors and the second beam from the second plurality of mirrors; a second mirror capable of reflecting the first and second beams from the second variable beam splitter; and a second focal length lens; wherein the first and second beams each pass through the second focal length lens such that one of the first or second beams contacts a portion of the surface of the object thereby removing material from the surface of the object and the other of the first or second beams has a focal point at a location outside the object at a distance from the surface so as to create a shockwave that passes over the portion of the surface of the object from which material is removed.