Data Storage Institute

National University of Singapore

Yongfeng Lu

Minghui Hong

Yoshinobu Aoyagi

Wen Dong Song

Chengwu An

Kaidong Ye

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing surface contamination on a flexible circuit for an inkjet printer cartridge by pulsed laser irradiation in air. The contamination around and inside the tiny inkjet nozzles can be completely removed without any damage on the flexible circuit by the laser irradiation. The cleaning mechanisms are laser-induced ablation of the contamination and fast momentum transferring from the laser beam to the contamination materials. Compared with chemical solution cleaning and plasma etching, this technique has high throughput and does not cause flexible circuit damage, due to the fact that there are no water and chemical solutions involved in the process. Meanwhile, the laser irradiation is only limited in a small area around the tiny inkjet nozzles . There is no laser interaction with the thin conductive circuit

Method and apparatus for cleaning inkjet cartridges

A method of laser marking, suitable for the marking of hard transparent materials without causing microcracking, includes arranging a sample of target material and a sample of markable material such that they are spaced apart; directing irradiation having an energy fluence above the ablation threshold of the target material onto the target material so that some of it is ablated and thrown onto a surface of the markable material; and subjecting the surface of the markable material to irradiation having an energy fluence below the ablation threshold of the markable material to induce an interaction between the ablated material and the surface which marks the surface of the ablated material. Different colours of mark can be obtained by using different target materials, and the tone of the mark can be controlled as desired. Apparatus for implementing the method permits control of the method in real time.

Method of laser marking and apparatus therefor

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting a substrate using laser irradiation. A laser beam is scanned over a substrate. The beam ablates a first layer of the substrate. The beam is then refocused onto the newly revealed second layer and a further pass is performed. The process is repeated until complete separation occurs. The method and apparatus are particularly suitable for singulation of IC packages.

Method and apparatus for cutting a substrate using laser irradiation

An apparatus for dry cleaning a surface includes a laser generator, a laser beam homogenizer, an aperture and a lens that are controlled by a CPU. The laser is preferably a KrF excimer laser although any laser capable of generating a pulsed output in the ultraviolet spectrum may be used. The lens is preferably a plano-convex lens. Articles to be cleaned are placed on a conveyor that transports the article through the laser beam. The CPU can store parameters for optimizing removal of a particular contaminant. These parameters may include the frequency of the pulse beam generated by the laser, the shape of the aperture, the position of the lens is controlled by a stage, and the speed of the conveyor belt.

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Singapore, Singapore

Yongfeng Lu