Apparatus and method for laser scribing a coated substrate
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorRicky C. Powell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus (20) and a method for laser scribing a coated substrate (22) utilizes a rotating polygonal mirror (36) to split a pulsed laser beam (30) in order to provide spaced ablations (34) in a coating (26) on the substrate. The laser pulses are directed through at least one lens (56, 60) and may be passed through fiber optics (62). A laser detector (68) may be used to detect the rotational position of the rotating polygonal mirror (36). A controller (76″, 76′″) allows a second set of scribes to be generated with reference to the first set of scribes.
Claims26
Apparatus for laser scribing a coated substrate:
- a laser source for generating a pulsed laser beam having laser pulses with sufficient power to form ablations through a coating on the substrate;
- a polygonal mirror mounted for rotation to reflect the laser pulses of the laser beam toward the substrate to split the laser beam and provide spaced ablations through the coating;
- and
- a conveyor for moving the substrate along a direction of conveyance so the ablations formed by the laser pulses reflected from the rotating polygonal mirror overlap each other and form a set of spaced scribes through the coating on the substrate and extending parallel to the direction of conveyance.
Apparatus for laser scribing a coated substrate:
- a laser source for generating a pulsed laser beam having laser pulses with sufficient power to form ablations through a coating on the substrate;
- a polygonal mirror mounted for rotation to split the laser beam and reflect the laser pulses of the laser beam toward the substrate;
- at least one lens through which the laser pulses reflected from the rotating polygonal mirror are passed and directed toward the substrate to provide spaced ablations through the coating on the substrate;
- a conveyor for moving the substrate along a direction of conveyance so the ablations formed by the laser pulses reflected from the rotating polygonal mirror overlap each other and form a first set of spaced scribes trough the coating on the substrate and extending parallel to the direction of conveyance;
- and
- a controller for generating a second set of laser pulses referenced to the first set of scribes and directed toward the substrate to generate in its coating a second set of scribes in a spaced relationship from each other and from the first set of scribes.
A method for laser scribing a coated substrate:
- generating a pulsed laser beam having laser pulses with sufficient power to ablate through a coating on the substrate;
- rotating a polygonal mirror to reflect the laser pulses of the laser beam toward the substrate to split the laser beam and form spaced ablations through the coating;
- and
- moving the substrate along a direction of conveyance so the ablations formed by the laser pulses overlap each other and form a set of spaced scribes through the coating on the substrate and extending parallel to the direction of conveyance.
A method for laser scribing a coated substrate:
- generating a pulsed laser beam having a first set of laser pulses with sufficient power to ablate through a coating on the substrate;
- rotating a polygonal mirror to split the laser beam and reflect the laser pulses of the laser beam toward the substrate;
- focusing the laser pulses reflected from the rotating polygonal mirror through at least one lens to provide spaced ablations through the coating on the substrate;
- moving the substrate along a direction of conveyance so the ablations formed by the laser pulses overlap each other and form a first set of spaced scribes through the coating on the substrate and extending parallel to the direction of conveyance;
- and
- generating a second set of laser pulses that are referenced to the first set of laser pulses that are directed toward the substrate to generate another set of laser pulses that scribe a second set of scribes that are spaced in the coating on the substrate from each other and from the first set of spaced scribes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.