Laser Ablation and Processing Methods and Systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for ablating or processing a surface using a laser beam are provided. A method includes directing a laser beam at a surface to form a contact area. The method also includes moving the contact area to form a contact curve. The method includes tuning a wavelength and a power of the laser beam to process a material and/or ablate a coating. The wavelength and the power may be further tuned to not damage the surface beneath the coating. Moving the contact area may include forming a second contact curve by superimposing, at a same time, the second contact curve on the contact curve. A system includes a laser and a directing arrangement configured to direct a laser beam from the laser at a surface to form a contact area. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a first galvanometer scanner that oscillates a first mirror;   a second galvanometer scanner that oscillates a second mirror;   a laser source directing a laser beam into the first mirror;   a lens that focuses the laser beam; and   a controller configured to control the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner so as to create a contact curve with the laser beam.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to selectively control a scan speed and a scan width of the laser beam in both X-axis and Y-axis directions. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises an X-axis speed control input, a Y-axis speed control input, a X-axis scan width input, and a Y-axis scan width input, wherein the X-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the X-axis, the Y-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the Y-axis. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein a shape of the contact curve is selectively adjustable by way of the X-axis speed control input, the Y-axis speed control input, the X-axis scan width input, and the Y-axis scan width input. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor that is programmed with instructions that when executed control cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner so as to create a circular pattern with the laser beam. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein an energy level, a pulse duration, and a pulse frequency of the laser source are selectable. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact curve comprises any of a circle or ellipse created by cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in both the X-axis and the Y-axis directions. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact curve is created by oscillating the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective distances that each of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner oscillates affects the size of the contact curve that is created. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the contact curve comprises one of a circle or an ellipse created by cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in both the X-axis and the Y-axis directions, and a first oscillation distance of the first galvanometer scanner differs from a second oscillation distance of the second galvanometer scanner. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 oscillating a first mirror via a first galvanometer scanner;   oscillates a second mirror via a second galvanometer scanner;   directing a laser beam into the first mirror using a laser source;   focusing the laser beam using a lens; and   controlling, via a controller, the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner so as to create a contact curve with the laser beam.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising selectively controlling, via the controller, a scan speed and a scan width of the laser beam in both X-axis and Y-axis directions. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller comprises an X-axis speed control input, a Y-axis speed control input, a X-axis scan width input, and a Y-axis scan width input, wherein the X-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the X-axis, the Y-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the Y-axis. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a shape of the contact curve is selectively adjustable by way of the X-axis speed control input, the Y-axis speed control input, the X-axis scan width input, and the Y-axis scan width input. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor that is programmed with instructions that when executed control cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner so as to create a circular pattern with the laser beam. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein an energy level, a pulse duration, and a pulse frequency of the laser source are selectable. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the contact curve comprises any of a circle or ellipse created by cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in both the X-axis and the Y-axis directions. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the contact curve is created by oscillating the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the respective distances that each of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner oscillates affects the size of the contact curve that is created. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the contact curve comprises one of a circle or an ellipse created by cooperative movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in both the X-axis and the Y-axis directions, and a first oscillation distance of the first galvanometer scanner differs from a second oscillation distance of the second galvanometer scanner. 
     
     
         21 . A device comprising:
 a first galvanometer scanner that oscillates a first mirror;   a second galvanometer scanner that oscillates a second mirror;   a laser source directing a laser beam into the first mirror;   a lens that focuses the laser beam; and   a controller configured to control the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner so as to create a contact curve with the laser beam, the controller further comprising an X-axis speed control input, a Y-axis speed control input, a X-axis scan width input, and a Y-axis scan width input, wherein the X-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the X-axis, the Y-axis speed control input controls a directional speed of the movement of the first galvanometer scanner and the second galvanometer scanner in the Y-axis.