General Scanning, Inc.

Other

Gsi Group Corporation

William Lauer

Donald Victor Smart

James J Cordingley

Michael Plotkin

Pierre C Trepagnier

Jonathan S Ehrmann

Joohan Lee

A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device, such as a liquid crystal variable retarder, and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller, which is connected to the polarization modifying device, adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. For example, the polarization of the laser beam may be rotated to correspond with the alignment of a link in a semiconductor device to be cut by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam. An analyzer tool receives the laser beam modified by the polarization modification device and measures the modification of the polarization of the laser beam by the polarization modification device.

Controlling laser polarization

The invention provides a system and method for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate. According to the invention, a calculation is performed, as a function of wavelength, of an incident beam energy necessary to deposit unit energy in the target structure. Then, for the incident beam energy, the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate as a function of wavelength is calculated. A wavelength is identified that corresponds to a relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate, the low value being substantially less than a value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate at a higher wavelength. A laser system is provided configured to produce a laser output at the wavelength corresponding to the relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate. The laser output is directed at the target structure on the substrate at the wavelength corresponding to the relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate, in order to vaporize the target structure.

Laser processing

A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam. An analyzer tool receives the laser beam modified by the polarization modification device and measures the modification of the polarization of the laser beam by the polarization modification device. A plurality of inputs are applied to the polarization modifying device to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam, and the laser beam modified by the polarization modification device is analyzed using the analyzer tool in order to measure modification of the polarization of the laser beam by the polarization modification device. The relationship between the inputs to the polarization control device and the modification of the polarization of the laser beam is stored.

Growing community of inventors

Westford, MA, United States of America

William Lauer