Laser processing systems and methods for beam dithering and skiving

Abstract

A system includes a laser source, a galvanometer mirror system, an f-theta scan lens and an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) system. The AOD system is operated to deflect a beam path along which a laser beam propagates in a manner that corrects for scan field distortion induced by one or both of the f-theta lens and galvanometer mirror system.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a laser source operative to generate a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is propagatable along a beam path;   a galvanometer mirror system operative to rotate the beam path;   an f-theta scan lens arranged in the beam path such that the galvanometer mirror system is arranged along the beam path between the laser source and the f-theta scan lens, wherein the f-theta scan lens is operative to focus the laser beam at a spot within a scan field and wherein the f-theta scan lens has a local geometric distortion induces a scan field distortion wherein displacement of the spot within the scan field is prevented from being proportional to an angle between the beam path and an optical axis of the f-theta scan field;   an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) system arranged in the beam path between the laser source and the galvanometer mirror system, the AOD system operative to deflect the beam path;   a computer coupled to the AOD system and operative to execute machine-readable instructions to control an operation of the AOD system; and   a non-transitory machine-readable medium coupled to the computer, the machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the AOD system to deflect the beam path in a manner that corrects for the scan field distortion.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the galvanometer mirror system is arranged such that the beam path is laterally displaced relative to a center of the entrance pupil of the f-theta scan lens when the beam path is rotated. 
     
     
         3 . A system, comprising:
 a laser source operative to generate a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is propagatable along a beam path;   an f-theta scan lens arranged in the beam path, wherein the f-theta scan lens is operative to focus the laser beam at a spot within a scan field;   a galvanometer mirror system arranged in the beam path at a location between the laser source and the f-theta scan lens, wherein the galvanometer mirror system is operative to rotate the beam path, wherein the galvanometer mirror system is arranged such that the beam path is laterally displaced relative to a center of the entrance pupil of the f-theta scan lens when the beam path is rotated to induce a scan field distortion in which displacement of the spot within the scan field is prevented from being proportional to an angle between the beam path and an optical axis of the f-theta scan field;   an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) system arranged in the beam path between the laser source and the galvanometer mirror system, the AOD system operative to deflect the beam path;   a computer coupled to the AOD system and operative to execute machine-readable instructions to control an operation of the AOD system; and   a non-transitory machine-readable medium coupled to the computer, the machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the AOD system to deflect the beam path in a manner that corrects for the scan field distortion.