Laser processing apparatus, laser processing system, and laser processing method

A laser processing apparatus comprising:

• a placement base on which a processing receiving object is placed;
• an optical system configured to guide laser light to the processing receiving object placed on the placement base;
• a gas supply port via which a gas is supplied to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light;
• a gas recovery port via which the gas supplied via the gas supply port is recovered;
• a mover configured to move the irradiated region of the processing receiving object;
• a controller configured to control, in accordance with a direction in which the irradiated region is moved, a direction of a gas flow of the gas caused to flow from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port, the controller being configured to change the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the direction in which the mover moves the irradiated region in such a way that the gas flows in a direction opposite the direction in which the irradiated region is moved;
• a cover configured to surround a space to which the gas is supplied via the gas supply port;
• and
• a third mover configured to move the cover in such a way that the movement follows the movement of the irradiated region moved by the mover.

A laser processing system comprising:

• a laser apparatus configured to output laser light;
• a transfer system configured to transfer the laser light outputted from the laser apparatus;
• a placement base on which a processing receiving object is placed;
• an optical system configured to shape the laser light transferred via the transfer system and guide the shaped laser light to the processing receiving object placed on the placement base;
• a gas supply port via which a gas is supplied to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light;
• a gas recovery port via which the gas supplied via the gas supply port is recovered;
• a mover configured to move the irradiated region of the processing receiving object;
• a controller configured to control, in accordance with a direction in which the irradiated region is moved, a direction of a gas flow of the gas caused to flow from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port, the controller being configured to change the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the direction in which the mover moves the irradiated region in such a way that the gas flows in a direction opposite the direction in which the irradiated region is moved;
• a cover configured to surround a space to which the gas is supplied via the gas supply port, the gas supply port and the gas recovery port being disposed at the cover;
• and
• a rotator configured to rotate the cover in accordance with the direction in which the irradiated region is moved.

A laser processing method comprising:

• placing a processing receiving object on a placement base;
• outputting laser light from a laser apparatus;
• guiding the laser light via an optical system to the processing receiving object placed on the placement base to irradiate the processing receiving object with the laser light;
• supplying a gas via a gas supply port to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light and recovering via a gas recovery port the gas supplied via the gas supply port;
• moving the irradiated region of the processing receiving object;
• controlling, in accordance with a direction in which the irradiated region is moved, a direction of a gas flow of the gas caused to flow from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port,
• controlling the direction of the gas flow including changing the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the direction in which the irradiated region is moved in such a way that the gas flows in a direction opposite the direction in which the irradiated region is moved;
• surrounding by a cover a space to which the gas is supplied via the gas supply port, the gas supply port and the gas recovery port being disposed at the cover;
• and
• rotating by a rotator the cover in accordance with the direction in which the irradiated region is moved.

A laser processing system comprising:

• a laser apparatus configured to output laser light;
• a transfer system configured to transfer the laser light outputted from the laser apparatus;
• a placement base on which a processing receiving object is placed;
• an optical system configured to shape the laser light transferred via the transfer system and guide the shaped laser light to the processing receiving object placed on the placement base;
• a gas supply port via which a gas is supplied to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light;
• a gas recovery port via which the gas supplied via the gas supply port is recovered;
• a mover configured to move the irradiated region of the processing receiving object;
• a controller configured to control, in accordance with a direction in which the irradiated region is moved, a direction of a gas flow of the gas caused to flow from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port, the controller being configured to change the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the direction in which the mover moves the irradiated region in such a way that the gas flows in a direction opposite the direction in which the irradiated region is moved;
• a cover configured to surround a space to which the gas is supplied via the gas supply port;
• and
• a third mover configured to move the cover in such a way that the movement follows the movement of the irradiated region moved by the mover.

A laser processing method comprising:

• placing a processing receiving object on a placement base;
• outputting laser light from a laser apparatus;
• guiding the laser light via an optical system to the processing receiving object placed on the placement base to irradiate the processing receiving object with the laser light;
• supplying a gas via a gas supply port to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light and recovering via a gas recovery port the gas supplied via the gas supply port;
• moving the irradiated region of the processing receiving object;
• controlling, in accordance with a direction in which the irradiated region is moved, a direction of a gas flow of the gas caused to flow from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port,
• controlling the direction of the gas flow including changing the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the direction in which the irradiated region is moved in such a way that the gas flows in a direction opposite the direction in which the irradiated region is moved;
• surrounding by a cover a space to which the gas is supplied via the gas supply port;
• and
• moving by a third mover the cover in such a way that the movement follows the movement of the irradiated region moved by the mover.