Laser processing system with variable beam spot size

Abstract

Systems for scribing a workpiece incorporate a motorized beam expander to change a laser beam spot size incident on a workpiece. A system includes a frame, a laser coupled with the frame and generating an output to remove material from at least a portion of a workpiece, a beam expander positioned along a path of the laser output and having a motorized mechanism operable to vary a beam expansion ratio applied to the laser output, and at least one scanning device coupled with the frame and operable to control a position of the laser output, after expansion, on the workpiece. The motorized beam expander can be used to selectively vary the width of a laser beam supplied to a scanning device so as to selectively vary the size of the laser beam incident on the workpiece. Alternatively, a variable aperture can be used instead of a beam expander.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.