US 2026/0264170 A1 · ACCURATE DRIFT MEASUREMENT USING REFLECTORS

Abstract

A laser processing apparatus comprises: a laser processing module for laser-processing a workpiece on a work field; a measurement module for performing distance measurements using a measurement beam, wherein the measurement module is optically coupled with the laser processing module to receive and output the measurement beam from and to the laser processing module; a scanning unit for scanning the measurement beam over the work field; a calibration reflector having a constant spatial relation with respect to the work field and/or with respect to the scanning unit; and a processing unit configured for determining drift shifts of the laser processing apparatus based on measured variations of a path length of the measurement beam to and from the calibration reflector and on corresponding angular deflection setting of the scanning unit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A laser processing apparatus comprising:

a laser processing module for laser-processing a workpiece on a work field;
a measurement module for performing distance measurements using a measurement beam, wherein the measurement module is optically coupled with the laser processing module to receive and output the measurement beam from and to the laser processing module;
at least one scanning unit for scanning the measurement beam over the work field;
one or more calibration reflectors having a constant spatial relation with respect to the work field and/or with respect to the at least one scanning unit;
and
a processing unit configured for determining drift shifts of the laser processing apparatus based on measured variations of a path length of the measurement beam to and from the one or more calibration reflectors and on corresponding angular deflection setting of the at least one scanning unit.

3 more elements

A method of determining a drift shift in a laser processing apparatus, wherein the laser processing apparatus comprises:

a scanning unit for scanning a laser beam over a work field;
and
one or more calibration reflectors having a constant spatial relation with respect to the work field and/or with respect to the scanning unit;
and wherein the method comprises:
performing interferometric measurements with a measurement laser beam directed by the scanning unit to each of the one or more calibration reflectors to determine, for each of the one or more calibration reflectors, one or more corresponding variations of a path length of the measurement laser beam;
detecting, for each of the one or more calibration reflectors, one or more corresponding angular deflection settings of the scanning unit;
and
determining a drift shift based on said one or more corresponding variations of a path length of the measurement laser beam and on said one or more corresponding angular deflection settings of the scanning unit.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Accurate drift measurement using reflectors

Life of this patent

Accurate drift measurement using reflectors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20