Patent ID: 8283596

Claim:
A laser processing apparatus for patterning a resin or a metal film on a substrate using laser light on the resin film or the metal film comprising: a laser light source; and a debris collector including (a) an enclosure, (b) a transmission window at one side of the enclosure through which laser light emitted by the laser light source can be transmitted, (c) a transmission hole at an opposite side of the enclosure through which the laser light can be transmitted after passing through the enclosure, (d) a vortex generation mechanism in the form of a plate having a plurality of radial grooves and located at the side of the enclosure where the transmission hole is located and that generates a vortex gas flow at a side the plate facing the enclosure and a suction force at an oppositely facing side of the plate to entrain debris created by irradiation of the laser light into the vortex gas flow, (e) an exhaust port in the enclosure through which gas can be exhausted and (f) a screening device positioned between the vortex generation mechanism and the enclosure and having an opening through which the laser light passes in a first direction and through which gas from the gas flows in an opposite second direction into the enclosure, wherein, the debris entrained in the vortex gas flow is screened and is removed from the vortex gas flow prior to entering the enclosure by the screening device.