Arrangement and method for processing electrical substrates using lasers

A method for processing an electric circuit substrate, using a laser with a wavelength between around 266 nm and around 1064 nm, a pulse repetition rate of between 1 kHz and 1 MHz, a pulse length of between 30 ns and 200 ns and an average laser power of between approximately 0.1 to approximately 5 W, comprising:

• fixing and positioning the substrate on a work piece holder;
• and
• setting the laser beam to at least one of the following operating modes,
• a mode for drilling holes with an average laser power of 3 to 5 W, a repetition rate of around 10 to 30 kHz and a pulse length of around 30 to 50 ns,
• a mode for at least one of structuring and removal of at least one of metallic and dielectric layers with an average laser power of 1 to 2 W, a repetition rate of around 50 to 90, and a pulse length of around 50 to 60 ns, and
• a mode for exposure of a photosensitive layer with an average laser power of approaching 0.1 W, a repetition rate of 200 kHz to 1 MHz and a pulse length of approximately 100 to 200 ns;
• and
• processing the substrate with the laser beam in the operating mode set, whereby the laser beam is moved with a galvo mirror deflection unit with a speed of 300 to 600 mm/s.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• setting a laser to at least one of the following operating modes,
• a mode for drilling holes in the substrate with an average laser power of 3 to 5 W, a repetition rate of around 10 to 30 kHz and a pulse length of around 30 to 50 ns,
• a mode for at least one of structuring and removing at least one of metallic and dielectric layers from the substrate with an average laser power of 1 to 2 W, a repetition rate of around 50 to 90, and a pulse length of around 50 to 60 ns, and
• a mode for exposure of a photosensitive layer of the substrate with an average laser power of approaching 0.1 W, a repetition rate of 200 kHz to 1 MHz and a pulse length of approximately 100 to 200 ns;
• and
• processing the substrate with the laser in the operating mode set.

An arrangement for processing a substrate, comprising:

• means for holding and positioning the substrate;
• a laser of a wavelength between 266 nm and 1064 nm, and adapted to emit laser radiation in the following ranges of values,
• a pulse repetition rate of between 1 kHz and 1 MHz,
• a pulse length of 30 ns to 200 ns, and
• an average laser power of around 0.1 to approximately 5 W;
• means for deflecting the laser at speeds of up to 600 mm/s;
• and
• means for operating the laser, depending on an application for the laser, with different combinations of average laser power and repetition rates.

An arrangement for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a solid-state laser of a wavelength between 266 nm and 1064 nm, and adapted to emit laser radiation in the following ranges of values,
• a pulse repetition rate of between 1 kHz and 1 MHz,
• a pulse length of 30 ns to 200 ns, and
• an average laser power of around 0.1 to approximately 5 W;
• a deflection unit, adapted to deflect the laser at speeds of up to 600 mm/s;
• and
• a controller adapted to operate the laser, depending on an application for the laser, with different combinations of average laser power and repetition rates.