Laser beam shaping device and apparatus for material machining

A laser beam homogenizer and material machining apparatus for machining a surface of a work piece, said device comprising:

• a laser beam source said beam having a given energy distribution across said beam;
• a controllable reflecting means for controlling said energy distribution of said laser beam, said means including multiple individual reflecting surfaces for reflecting a portion of said laser beam, each of which is capable of responding to a separate control signal, a mounting surface upon which said multiple individual reflecting surfaces are mounted and a flexible reflecting surface actuator means for connecting said multiple individual reflecting surfaces to said mounting surface said reflecting surface actuator means being changeable in position in response to varying control signal;
• energy distribution monitoring means for monitoring said energy distribution of said beam;
• reflecting surface control means for controlling said position of said reflecting surface actuator means based on said output signal from said energy distribution monitoring means;
• and,
• imaging optics positioned between said controllable reflecting device and said energy distribution monitoring means, said imaging optics including a focusing lens for focusing said beam, an optical projection stop comprising, an aperture for controlling the energy intensity of said beam and a projection lens for projecting said beam on to said work piece,
• whereby said given energy distribution of said beam may be changed according to a pre-selected program and portions of said beam may be directed through said aperture by said controllable reflecting surfaces and portions of said beam may be directed away from said aperture by said controllable reflecting surfaces so as to control the energy intensity of said beam.

A method for laser beam homogenization and material machining for machining a surface of a work piece, said method consisting of the steps of:

• a. generating a laser beam said beam having a given energy distribution across said beam;
• b. directing said laser beam at a controllable reflecting means for controlling said energy distribution of said laser beam, said controllable reflecting means including multiple individual surfaces for reflecting a portion of said laser beam, each of which is capable of responding to a separate control signal;
• a mounting surface upon which said multiple individual reflecting surfaces are mounted;
• and, a flexible reflecting surface actuator means for connecting said multiple individual reflecting surfaces to said mounting surface said reflecting actuator means being changeable in position in response to varying control signal;
• c. monitoring said energy distribution of said beam on a pulse by pulse basis;
• and,
• d. controlling said position of said reflecting surface actuator means based on the result of monitoring said energy distribution, whereby said energy distribution of said beam may be changed according to a pre-selected program.

A method for laser beam homogenization and material machining for machining a surface of a work piece, said method consisting of the steps of:

• a. generating a laser beam said beam having a given energy distribution across said beam;
• b. directing said laser beam at a controllable reflecting means for controlling said energy distribution of said laser beam, said controllable reflecting means including multiple individual surfaces for reflecting a portion of said laser beam, each of which is capable of responding to a separate control signal;
• a mounting surface upon which said multiple individual reflecting surfaces are mounted;
• and, a flexible reflecting surface actuator means for connecting said multiple individual reflecting surfaces to said mounting surface said reflecting actuator means being changeable in position in response to varying control signal;
• c. monitoring said energy distribution of said beam;
• and,
• d. controlling said position of said reflecting surface actuator means based on the result of monitoring said energy distribution;
• e. focusing said beam on the plane of said an optical projection stop;
• f. directing said beam toward or way from said optical projection stop to control the energy intensity of said beam;
• g. projecting said beam on said work lens,
• whereby portions of said beam may be directed through said aperture by said controllable reflecting surfaces and portions of said beam may be directed away from said aperture by said controllable reflecting surfaces so as to control the energy intensity of said beam.