Laser system and method for single press micromachining of multilayer workpieces

A method for depthwise laser machining through layers of a multilayered workpiece including at least first and second layers of respective first layer and second layer materials having respective first and second ablation fluence thresholds, comprising:

• generating a first laser output having a wavelength shorter than 356 nm;
• propagating the first laser output along an optical path including a deformable mirror having a mirror surface of a first shape to provide a first focal effect;
• applying the first laser output to a target location on the workpiece to remove first layer material within the target location, the first laser output containing at least a first laser pulse having a first fluence over a first spot area, and the first fluence being greater than the first ablation fluence threshold;
• changing the mirror surface to have a second shape in less than two milliseconds to provide a second focal effect that is different from the first focal effect;
• generating a second laser output having a wavelength shorter than 356 nm;
• propagating the second laser output along the optical path including the deformable mirror having the mirror surface of the second shape;
• applying the second laser output to the target location on the workpiece to remove second layer material within the target location, the second laser output containing at least a second laser pulse having a second fluence over a second spot area that is greater than the first spot area, and the second fluence being greater than the second ablation fluence threshold and less than the first ablation fluence threshold.

A method for laser processing a layer of material within a spatial region on a workpiece, the material having an ablation fluence threshold and the spatial region having a peripheral region and a central region, comprising:

• addressing a beam positioner toward a first region selected from the central region or the peripheral region of the spatial region on the workpiece;
• generating a first laser output;
• propagating the first laser output along an optical path including a single pass actuation assembly that is selectively changeable to provide at least two different focal effects including a first focal effect to provide a first spot area and a second focal effect to provide a second spot area wherein the first and second spot areas are smaller than and fit within the spatial region;
• applying the first laser output to the first region to remove material from the spatial region, the first laser output containing at least a first laser pulse that acquires the first focal effect and has a first fluence over the first spot area, and the first fluence being greater than the ablation fluence threshold of the material;
• addressing a beam positioner toward a second region selected from the central region or the peripheral region of the spatial region on the workpiece;
• causing the single pass actuation assembly to provide the second focal effect that is different from the first focal effect;
• generating a second laser output;
• propagating the second laser output along the optical path including the single pass actuation assembly;
• applying the second laser output to the second region to remove material from the spatial region, the second laser output containing at least a second laser pulse that acquires the second focal effect and has a second fluence over a second spot area, and the second fluence being greater than the ablation fluence threshold of the material and different from the first fluence.