Apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate and related method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc which includes a substrate rotation assembly for rotating the disc substrate, an optic assembly for directing a laser beam directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon, and a process byproduct removing assembly for removing the trimmed byproducts from the substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc comprising: 
 substrate rotation means for rotating the disc substrate;    an optical assembly having means for receiving laser energy and for directing said laser energy directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon and thereby produce byproducts of the trimming operation; and    means for removing the byproducts of the trimming operation from the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    and further comprising laser generation means for producing the laser energy and for supplying said laser energy to said laser energy receiving and directing means.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 2    wherein said laser generation means is a multi-diode semi-conductor laser array.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 2    wherein said laser energy receiving and directing means includes a fiber optic delivery system receiving the laser energy from the laser generation means.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 2    wherein said laser energy receiving and directing means includes a focusing optic system for shaping and collimating a laser beam and directing the laser beam directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on of a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 5    wherein the laser beam is collimated by said focusing optic system with a diameter of approximately 0.5 to 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 5    wherein the laser beam is collimated within a length between approximately 2 to 5 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 5    wherein said focusing optic system is stationarily mounted.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 450 and 800 nm.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 550 and 720 nm.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    wherein the laser beam is produced with a maximum power of approximately 12 watts.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    wherein the laser beam is produced with a power of approximately 6 to 8 watts.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 1    wherein said byproduct removing means is a fluidic jet for directing the process byproducts away from the rotatable disc substrate, said fluidic jet having an angularly disposed dispersion orifice which is angularly displaced at an angle of between approximately 5° to 80°.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 13    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon and helium.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 13    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is air.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for trimming due coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disk of    claim 13    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is a cryogenic liquid selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 13    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is a reactive fluid.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 17    wherein the reactive fluid is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, methane and carbon monoxide.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc comprising: 
 substrate rotation means for rotating the disc substrate;    an optical assembly having means for receiving laser energy and for directing said laser energy directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon and thereby produce byproducts of the trimming operation wherein said laser energy receiving and directing means includes a focusing optic system for collimating the laser beam and directing the laser beam directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 450 and 800 nm, is collimated by said focusing optic system with a diameter of between approximately 0.5 to 1.5 mm, and is collimated within a length of between approximately 2 to 5 mm;    laser generation means for producing the laser energy and for supplying said laser energy to said laser energy receiving and directing means wherein the laser beam is produced with a maximum power of approximately 12 watts; and    means for removing the process byproducts from the substrate.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein said laser energy generation means is a multi-diode semi-conductor laser array.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein said laser energy receiving and directing means includes a fiber optic delivery system receiving the laser energy from the laser generation means.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 550 and 730 nm.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein the laser beam is produced with a power of between approximately 6 to 8 watts.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein the laser beam is collimated within a length of between approximately 2 to 3 mm.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein said focusing optic system is stationarily mounted.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 19    wherein said byproduct removing means is a fluidic jet for directing the process byproducts away from the substrate, said fluidic jet having an angularly disposed dispersion orifice which is angularly displaced at an angle of between approximately 5° to 80°.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 26    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon and helium.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 26    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is air.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 26    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is a cryogenic liquid selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 26    wherein the fluid discharged from said fluidic jet is a reactive gas.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 30    wherein the reactive fluid is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, methane and carbon monoxide.  
     
     
         32 . A method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc, said method comprising the steps of: 
 rotating the disc substrate by means of substrate rotation means;    receiving laser energy and directing the laser energy directly upon the disc substrate by means of an optical assembly to trim the dye coated thereon and thereby produce process byproducts; and    removing the process byproducts from the rotatable disc substrate.    
     
     
         33 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    and further comprising the steps of producing the laser energy and supplying the laser energy to said optical assembly by means of laser energy generation means.  
     
     
         34 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 33    wherein said laser energy generation means is a multi-diode semi-conductor laser array.  
     
     
         35 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production thereof of    claim 33    and further comprising the step of receiving the laser energy from the laser energy generation means by means of a fiber optic delivery system of said optical assembly.  
     
     
         36 . The method for trimming dye coated on recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    and further comprising the steps of shaping and collimating the laser beam and directing the laser beam directly upon the rotatable disc substrate by means of a focusing optic system of the optic assembly to trim the dye coated thereon.  
     
     
         37 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 36    wherein said laser beam is collimated by said focusing optic system with a diameter of between approximately 0.5 to 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         38 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 36    wherein the laser beam is collimated within a length of between approximately 2 to 5 mm.  
     
     
         39 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 36    wherein said optic assembly is stationarily mounted.  
     
     
         40 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 450 and 800 nm.  
     
     
         41 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength between approximately 550 and 730 mm.  
     
     
         42 . The method for trimming dye coated on recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    wherein the laser beam is produced with a maximum power of approximately 12 watts.  
     
     
         43 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    wherein the laser beam is produced with a power of between approximately 6 to 8 watts.  
     
     
         44 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 32    and further comprising the step of removing the process byproducts from the substrate by means of a fluidic jet.  
     
     
         45 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 44    and further comprising the step of discharging fluid from the fluidic jet which is an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon and helium.  
     
     
         46 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 44    and further comprising the step of discharging air from the fluidic jet.  
     
     
         47 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 44    and further comprising the step of discharging a cryogenic liquid from the fluidic jet selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         48 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 44    and further comprising the step of discharging fluid from the fluidic jet which is a reactive fluid.  
     
     
         49 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 48    wherein the reactive fluid is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, methane and carbon monoxide.  
     
     
         50 . A method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc, said method comprising the steps of: 
 rotating the disc substrate by means of a substrate rotation means;    generating laser energy from a laser energy generation means with a maximum power of approximately 12 watts and supplying the laser energy to an optic assembly;    shaping and collimating the laser beam in a focusing optic system of said optic assembly and directing the laser beam directly upon the rotatable substrate to trim the dye coated thereon and thereby produce process byproducts wherein the laser beam has a wavelength of between approximately 450 and 800 nm, is collimated by said focusing optic system with a diameter of between approximately 0.5 to 1.5 mm, and is collimated within a length of between approximately 2 to 5 mm; and    removing the trimmed process byproducts from the substrate.    
     
     
         51 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    wherein said laser energy generation means is a multi-diode semiconductor laser array.  
     
     
         52 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    and further comprising the step of receiving the laser energy from the laser energy generation means by means of a fiber optic delivery system of said optic assembly.  
     
     
         53 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    wherein the optic assembly is stationarily mounted.  
     
     
         54 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    wherein the laser beam has a wavelength of between approximately 550 and 730 nm.  
     
     
         55 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    wherein the laser beam is produced with a power of between approximately 6 to 8 watts.  
     
     
         56 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 50    and further comprising the step of removing the process byproducts from the substrate by means of a fluidic jet.  
     
     
         57 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 56    and further comprising the step of discharging fluid from said fluidic jet which is an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon and helium.  
     
     
         58 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 56    and further comprising the step of discharging air from said fluidic jet.  
     
     
         59 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disk substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 56    and further comprising the step of discharging cryogenic liquid from said fluidic jet which is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         60 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 56    and further comprising the step of discharging fluid from said fluidic jet which is a reactive fluid.  
     
     
         61 . The method for trimming dye coated on a recordable disc substrate during production of an optical memory disc of    claim 60    wherein the reactive fluid is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, methane and carbon monoxide.