Patent ID: 7157038

Claim:
A method for laser processing a silicon, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, or single crystalline sapphire substrate, comprising: providing slow and fast movement-controlling signals from a positioning signal processor; controlling with a slow positioner driver a large range of relative movement of a translation stage in response to the slow movement-controlling signal; controlling with a fast positioner driver a small range of relative movement of a fast positioner in response to the fast movement-controlling signal; generating first laser system output having at least a first laser pulse at a wavelength shorter than 400 nm and having an output pulse energy of greater than 100 μJ at a repetition rate of greater than 5 kHz; directing the first laser system output at a target location on the substrate to ablate substrate material at the target location with a first spot area of less than 25 μm on the surface of the target material; generating second laser system output having at least a second laser pulse at a wavelength shorter than 400 nm and having an output pulse energy of greater than 100 μJ at a repetition rate of greater than 5 kHz; directing the second laser output to impinge a second target location with a second spot area of less than 25 μm on the surface of the target material such that the second spot area at least partly overlaps the first spot area.