Patent ID: 8497450

Claim:
A method for increasing the throughput of a laser system for processing circuit links on a substrate, the circuit links being arranged in at least first and second parallel rows, comprising: generating laser output for propagation along a laser beam axis that intersects the substrate; imparting relative movement between the laser beam axis and the substrate along a first travel axis which is parallel to the first row of circuit links; processing multiple first circuit links, including at least first primary, secondary, and tertiary circuit links, in the first row with laser output during a first on-the-fly pass of relative movement between the laser beam axis and the substrate along the first travel axis; and imparting multiple temporary offsets to the laser beam axis, the offsets being in a direction that is transverse to the travel axis, to process multiple second circuit links, including at least second primary and secondary circuit links, in the second row with laser output during the first on-the-fly pass of relative movement between the laser beam axis and the substrate, wherein the second primary circuit link is processed after the first primary circuit link is processed and before the first secondary circuit link is processed, and wherein the second secondary circuit link is processed after the first secondary circuit link is processed and before the first tertiary circuit link is processed.