# US 10,864,599 B2 · Location of image plane in a laser processing system

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- Number: US 10,864,599 B2
- Document ID: US10864599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/067,711
- Filed: 2017-03-17
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-17
- Assignees: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
- Applicants: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Yuan Liu; Honghua Hu; Jim Brookhyser; Guangyu Li; Brandon Bilyeu; Kurt Eaton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864599B2

## CPC

- B23K 26/032: {using optical means}
- B23K 26/00: Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K 26/0626: {Energy control of the laser beam (B23K26/0622 takes precedence)}
- B23K 26/073: Shaping the laser spot
- B23K 26/082: Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
- B23K 26/384: of specially shaped holes
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

Disclosed is a method and an apparatus to process a workpiece including producing a first beam of laser energy characterized by a first spatial intensity distribution. A first workpiece is processed using the first beam of laser energy to form a plurality of features at a first distance between the scan lens and the first workpiece and forming a second features at a second distance. The method includes determining which of the plurality of features has a shape that most closely resembles the shape of the first spatial intensity distribution and setting a process distance as the distance that produced that feature. Using this process distance, a surface of a second workpiece is processed using second beam of laser energy with a second spatial intensity distribution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing a workpiece using a laser processing system having a scan lens, the method, comprising:
processing a first workpiece using a first beam of laser energy, wherein the first beam of laser energy irradiates a spot on the first workpiece, wherein the spot irradiated on the first workpiece has a first shape, wherein the first shape is a non-circular shape, wherein the processing includes forming a plurality of features in the first workpiece, wherein a first distance between the scan lens and the first workpiece during the forming of one of the plurality of features is different from a second distance between the scan lens and the first workpiece during the forming of another of the plurality of features;
determining which of the plurality of features has a shape that most closely resembles the first shape;
setting a process distance as the distance between the scan lens and the first workpiece during the forming of the feature having the shape that most closely resembles the first shape;
determining an image plane as a plane at the process distance from the scan lens to a plane orthogonal to the path along which the beam of laser energy propagates;
disposing a surface of a second workpiece at least substantially at the image plane; and
processing the surface of the second workpiece using a second beam of laser energy, wherein the second beam of laser energy irradiates a spot on the surface that has a second shape different from the first shape.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second shape is circular.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first shape is one selected from the group consisting of elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, crescent-shaped, semicircular, arbelos-shaped, and star-shaped.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of the plurality of features has a shape that most closely resembles the first shape further comprises:
capturing imagery of the plurality of features and generating image data, representative of the captured imagery;
transmitting the image data to a controller; and,
processing the image data by the controller.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising capturing the imagery using a camera.

### Claim 6

An apparatus for laser processing a substrate comprising:
a laser source;
a beam imaging system, adapted to produce, from an optical output of the laser source, a first beam of laser energy characterized by a first spatial intensity distribution having a non-circular perimeter shape at the focal point of the beam when viewed in a plane that is orthogonal to a path along which the beam of laser energy propagates and adapted to produce a second beam of laser energy to form a modulated beam of laser energy characterized by a second spatial intensity distribution different from the first spatial intensity distribution;
a scan lens;
a workpiece positioner adapted to support a workpiece such that the distance orthogonal from the workpiece positioner to the scan lens is variable;
a camera adapted to capture imagery of a feature formed in the workpiece and generate image data representative of the captured imagery; and
a controller communicatively connected to the camera, the workpiece positioner and the beam imaging system, wherein the controller is operative to:
process the image data to determine if the feature has a shape that sufficiently resembles the shape of the first spatial intensity distribution; and
if the shape of the feature sufficiently resembles the shape of the first spatial intensity distribution:
set a process distance as the distance between the scan lens and the workpiece;
control an operation of the workpiece positioner to dispose a surface of a workpiece at the process distance; and
control an operation of the beam imaging system to produce, from the optical output of the laser source, second beam of laser energy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second spatial intensity distribution is circular.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first spatial intensity distribution is one selected from the group consisting of elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, crescent-shaped, semicircular, arbelos-shaped, and star-shaped.

### Claim 9

A method of processing a workpiece using a laser processing system having a scan lens, the method, comprising:
processing a workpiece using a first beam of laser energy, wherein the first beam of laser energy irradiates a spot on the workpiece, wherein the spot has a first shape, wherein the first shape is a non-circular shape, wherein the processing includes forming a plurality of features in the workpiece, wherein a first distance between the scan lens and the workpiece during the forming of one of the plurality of features is different from a second distance between the scan lens and the workpiece during the forming of another of the plurality of features;
determining which of the plurality of features has a shape that most closely resembles the first shape;
setting a process distance as the distance between the scan lens and the first workpiece during the forming of the feature having the shape that most closely resembles the first shape;
determining an image plane as a plane at the process distance from the scan lens to a plane orthogonal to the path along which the beam of laser energy propagates;
disposing a surface of the workpiece at least substantially at the image plane; and
processing the surface of the workpiece using a second beam of laser energy, wherein the second beam of laser energy irradiates a spot on the surface that has a second shape different from the first shape.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the second shape is circular.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the first shape is one selected from the group consisting of elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, crescent-shaped, semicircular, arbelos-shaped, and star-shaped.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein determining which of the plurality of features has a shape that most closely resembles the first shape further comprises:
capturing imagery of the plurality of features and generating image data, representative of the captured imagery;
transmitting the image data to a controller; and,
processing the image data by the controller.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising the capturing the imagery using a camera.