Abstract: A method of tailoring beam characteristics of a laser beam during fabrication of an electronic device. The method includes: providing a substrate comprising one or more layers; adjusting one or more characteristics of a laser beam; and impinging the laser beam having the adjusted beam characteristics on the substrate to carry out at least one process step for fabricating the electronic device. The adjusting of the laser beam comprises: perturbing the laser beam propagating within a first length of fiber to adjust the one or more beam characteristics of the laser beam in the first length of fiber or a second length of fiber or a combination thereof, the second length of fiber having two or more confinement regions; coupling the perturbed laser beam into the second length of fiber; and emitting the laser beam having the adjusted beam characteristics from the second length of fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are laser scanning systems and methods of their use. In some embodiments, laser scanning systems can be used to ablatively or non-ablatively scan a surface of a material. Some embodiments include methods of scanning a multi-layer structure. Some embodiments include translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter. Some embodiments make use of a 20-bit laser scanning system.

Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.

Abstract: A processing system directs a laser beam to a composite including a substrate, a conductive layer, and a conductive border. The location of a focus of the laser beam can be controlled to bring the laser beam into focus on the surfaces of the conductive materials. The laser beam can be used to ablatively process the conductive border and non-ablatively process the conductive layer by translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter.

Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.

Abstract: A method includes determining a set of pattern position errors between (i) a set of expected pattern positions of a calibration pattern on a laser target situated in a laser processing field of a laser system and produced based on a set of initial scan optic actuation corrections associated with a scan optic of the laser system and (ii) a set of measured pattern positions of the calibration pattern, determining a set of scan optic actuation rates based on the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections, and updating the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections based on the set of scan optic actuation rates and the set of pattern position errors so as to form a set of updated scan optic actuation corrections that is associated with a reduction of at least a portion of the set of pattern position errors.

Abstract: A method includes determining a set of pattern position errors between (i) a set of expected pattern positions of a calibration pattern on a laser target situated in a laser processing field of a laser system and produced based on a set of initial scan optic actuation corrections associated with a scan optic of the laser system and (ii) a set of measured pattern positions of the calibration pattern, determining a set of scan optic actuation rates based on the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections, and updating the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections based on the set of scan optic actuation rates and the set of pattern position errors so as to form a set of updated scan optic actuation corrections that is associated with a reduction of at least a portion of the set of pattern position errors.

Abstract: A method of tailoring beam characteristics of a laser beam during fabrication of an electronic device. The method includes: providing a substrate comprising one or more layers; adjusting one or more characteristics of a laser beam; and impinging the laser beam having the adjusted beam characteristics on the substrate to carry out at least one process step for fabricating the electronic device. The adjusting of the laser beam comprises: perturbing the laser beam propagating within a first length of fiber to adjust the one or more beam characteristics of the laser beam in the first length of fiber or a second length of fiber or a combination thereof, the second length of fiber having two or more confinement regions; coupling the perturbed laser beam into the second length of fiber; and emitting the laser beam having the adjusted beam characteristics from the second length of fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for a multi-operation optical beam delivery device having a laser source to generate the optical beam. A beam characteristic conditioner that, in response to a control input indicating a change between the different laser process operations, controllably modifies the beam characteristics for a corresponding laser process operation of the different laser process operations. A delivery fiber has an input end coupled to the beam characteristic conditioner and an output end coupled to a process head for performing the corresponding laser process operation.

Abstract: An optical beam delivery device. The device comprises a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable the adjusting of one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam by a perturbation device. The optical beam delivery device further comprises a second length of fiber having a proximal end for receiving the optical beam from the first length of fiber and a distal end. The proximal end is coupled to the first length of fiber. The second length of fiber comprises a second RIP formed to confine at least a portion of the optical beam within one or more confinement regions. A beam modification structure is disposed at, or a distance from, the distal end of the second length of fiber. The beam modification structure is configured to modify at least one property of the optical beam chosen from beam divergence properties, beam spatial properties and beam directional characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for perturbing a laser beam propagating within a first length of fiber to adjust one or more beam characteristics of the laser beam in the first length of fiber or a second length of fiber or a combination thereof, coupling the perturbed laser beam into a second length of fiber and maintaining at least a portion of one or more adjusted beam characteristics within a second length of fiber having.

Abstract: A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are laser scanning systems and methods of their use. In some embodiments, laser scanning systems can be used to ablatively or non-ablatively scan a surface of a material. Some embodiments include methods of scanning a multi-layer structure. Some embodiments include translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter. Some embodiments make use of a 20-bit laser scanning system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are laser scanning systems and methods of their use. In some embodiments, laser scanning systems can be used to ablatively or non-ablatively scan a surface of a material. Some embodiments include methods of scanning a multi-layer structure. Some embodiments include translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter. Some embodiments make use of a 20-bit laser scanning system.

Abstract: A method includes determining a set of pattern position errors between (i) a set of expected pattern positions of a calibration pattern on a laser target situated in a laser processing field of a laser system and produced based on a set of initial scan optic actuation corrections associated with a scan optic of the laser system and (ii) a set of measured pattern positions of the calibration pattern, determining a set of scan optic actuation rates based on the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections, and updating the set of initial scan optic actuation corrections based on the set of scan optic actuation rates and the set of pattern position errors so as to form a set of updated scan optic actuation corrections that is associated with a reduction of at least a portion of the set of pattern position errors.

Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of pulse bursts with a predetermined quantity of intra-burst pulses in each pulse burst and a temporal spacing between the intra-burst pulses, and with a pulse burst frequency, and scanning the pulse bursts across an anodized target at a scan rate so that the pulse bursts overlap at the anodized target by an amount that is above an overlap damage threshold and the intra-burst pulses provide a peak power and peak fluence that are below an ablation threshold of the anodized target so as to produce a laser mark on the anodized target with an L value of less than or equal to 30 and without a damage to an anodized layer of the anodized target.

Abstract: A method for processing a transparent substrate includes generating at least one laser pulse having laser parameters selected for non-ablatively changing a conductive layer disposed on the transparent substrate into a non-conductive feature, and directing the pulse to said conductive layer. A protective film may be affixed to a surface of the transparent substrate and need not be removed during the processing of the substrate. After processing, processed areas can be visually indistinguishable from unprocessed areas.

Abstract: A fluid input manifold distributes injected fluid around the body of a bulb to cool the bulb below a threshold. The injected fluid also distributes heat more evenly along the surface of the bulb to reduce thermal stress. The fluid input manifold may comprise one or more airfoils to direct a substantially laminar fluid flow along the surface of the bulb or it may comprise a plurality of fluid injection nozzles oriented to produce a substantially laminar fluid flow. An output portion may be configured to facilitate fluid flow along the surface of the bulb by allowing injected fluid to easily escape after absorbing heat from the bulb or by applying negative pressure to actively draw injected fluid along the surface of the bulb and away.

Abstract: Optical fibers that provide stable output beam sizes have core refractive indices that decrease non-monotonically from a core center to a core/cladding interface. A maximum refractive index of the core is situated at a radius of between about ½ and ¾ of the core radius so that a core center has a depressed refractive index. Such fibers are included in diode pumped solid state lasers to deliver pump laser power to a laser medium.

Abstract: A processing system directs a laser beam to a composite including a substrate, a conductive layer, and a conductive border. The location of a focus of the laser beam can be controlled to bring the laser beam into focus on the surfaces of the conductive materials. The laser beam can be used to ablatively process the conductive border and non-ablatively process the conductive layer by translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter.