Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.

Steve Swaringen

Kelly Bruland

Brian W Baird

Clint R Vandergiessen

Mark Alan Unrath

Brady Nilsen

Keith Grant

Steve Stone

Yunlong Sun

Robert Hainsey

Andrew Edwin Hooper

Processing workpieces such as semiconductor wafers or other materials with a laser includes selecting a target to process that corresponds to a target class associated with a predefined temporal pulse profile. The temporal pulse profile includes a first portion that defines a first time duration, and a second portion that defines a second time duration. A method includes generating a laser pulse based on laser system input parameters configured to shape the laser pulse according to the temporal pulse profile, detecting the generated laser pulse, comparing the generated laser pulse to the temporal pulse profile, and adjusting the laser system input parameters based on the comparison.

Methods and systems for dynamically generating tailored laser pulses

Processing a workpiece with a laser includes generating laser pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency. The first pulse repetition frequency provides reference timing for coordination of a beam positioning system and one or more cooperating beam position compensation elements to align beam delivery coordinates relative to the workpiece. The method also includes, at a second pulse repetition frequency that is lower than the first pulse repetition frequency, selectively amplifying a subset of the laser pulses. The selection of the laser pulses included in the subset is based on the first pulse repetition frequency and position data received from the beam positioning system. The method further includes adjusting the beam delivery coordinates using the one or more cooperating beam position compensation elements so as to direct the amplified laser pulses to selected targets on the workpiece.

Photonic clock stabilized laser comb processing

A method selectively processes structures on a workpiece with laser pulses. The structures are arranged in a linear pattern having approximately equal pitch. The pulses propagate along a laser beam propagation path terminating at a laser beam spot on the workpiece. The method fires a first processing pulse when the spot coincides with a first structure location, selectively blocks or clears the propagation path during the first pulse, moves the workpiece and the spot relative to one another such that the spot moves toward a second structure location at a speed less than the product of the laser's PRF and the pitch, fires a dummy pulse before the spot reaches the second structure location, blocks the propagation path during the dummy laser pulse, fires another processing pulse when the beam spot coincides with the second structure location, and selectively blocks or clears the propagation path during the second processing pulse.

Methods and systems for decreasing the effective pulse repetition of a laser

Methods and systems operate a machine having a laser characterized by a PRF (pulse repetition frequency) parameter that specifies a PRF at which pulses produced by the laser have desirable pulse properties for irradiating structures on or within a workpiece. The structures are arranged on the workpiece in a linear pattern having an approximately equal pitch between adjacent structures. The laser emits a laser pulse that propagates along a laser beam propagation path terminating at a laser beam spot on the workpiece. The method is effective to move the laser beam spot across the structures along the linear pattern at a speed greater than the product of the PRF and the pitch to selectively irradiate selected ones of the structures with the laser without substantially degrading the desirable pulse properties.

Method and system for decreasing the effective pulse repetition frequency of a laser

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Rockwall, TX, United States of America

Steve Swaringen