Abstract: A laser amplifier includes a pump source and an optically active fiber having an input portion configured to receive a signal source and an output portion. The pump source is optically coupled to the optically active fiber. The laser amplifier also includes an output fiber optically coupled to the output portion of the optically active fiber. The output fiber includes a rare-earth element. The laser amplifier further includes a beam expansion section joined to the output fiber.

Abstract: A process for laser forming a blind via in at least one layer of a circuit substrate having a plurality of capture pads of varying geometry can include, for at least one blind via to be formed in at least one layer of a circuit substrate, evaluating a capture pad geometry value (such as area and/or volume) within a predetermined distance from a drilling location with respect to a blind via geometry value (such as area and/or volume) to be formed at the drilling location. The process can include setting at least one laser operating parameter based on the evaluation in order to obtain a desired capture pad appearance after blind via formation. The process can include imaging a capture pad area defined as an area within a predetermined distance from a blind via drilling location in at least one layer of a circuit substrate, quantifying at least one appearance value for the imaged capture pad area, and determining an acceptability of the imaged capture pad areas based on the quantified appearance value.

Abstract: A non-metallic material is separated using a single laser beam that is converted into a scribe beam and a break beam. A system includes a single laser source for generating a laser beam and a beam separator for converting the laser beam into a scribe beam having a first average power and a break beam having second average power. The beam separator directs the scribe beam to a scribe line on a substrate and the break beam to the substrate at a location that is spaced apart from the scribe beam. The scribe beam rapidly heats the substrate along the scribe line. A quenching subsystem applies a stream of cooling fluid to the substrate to propagate a microcrack along the scribe line. The break beam rapidly reheats the substrate quenched by the stream of cooling fluid to separate the substrate along the microcrack.

Abstract: A laser-based workpiece processing system includes sensors connected to a sensor controller that converts sensor signals into focused spot motion commands for actuating a beam steering device, such as a two-axis steering mirror. The sensors may include a beam position sensor for correcting errors detected in the optical path, such as thermally-induced beam wandering in response to laser or acousto-optic modulator pointing stability, or optical mount dynamics.

Abstract: A method for laser machining through micro-holes having desired geometric cross-section requirements in a thin, substantially homogenous material.

Abstract: Spectroscopy data are correlated to physical locations on a sample. A laser beam is scanned along a beam trajectory relative to the sample located in a sample chamber. The laser beam disassociates material from the sample along the beam trajectory to produce an aerosol of the disassociated material within the sample chamber. A fluid is passed through the sample chamber to transport the disassociated material to a spectrometer for determining spectroscopy data values of a selected element along the beam trajectory. The spectroscopy data values are correlated with respective locations of the sample along the beam trajectory, and an image is displayed of at least a portion of the sample including the respective locations along the beam trajectory where the material was disassociated by the laser beam. The image includes indicia of the spectroscopy data values at their correlated locations.

Abstract: 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. At least one of the predefined temporal pulse profiles may be triangular. The target class may include, for example unpassivated electrically conductive links or other bare metal structures. Based on the target class associated with the selected target, a laser pulse is generated having a triangular temporal pulse profile. The generated laser pulse is used to process the selected structure.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a first beam cropper configured to crop a portion of a radiation pulse having a first spot size to form an intermediate cropped radiation pulse having an intermediate cropped spot with an intermediate cropped spot size less than the first spot size; and a second beam cropper configured to crop the intermediate cropped spot to form a second cropped radiation pulse having a second cropped spot with a second cropped spot size less the intermediate cropped spot size.

Abstract: An apparatus can include ablation chamber body having a transmission window and defining an accommodation region configured to accommodate a target that is movable relative to the transmission window. An aerosol transmission conduit is configured to transport an aerosol produced within the accommodation region to a sample receiving region of an analysis system along a substantially straight transport path.

Abstract: A laser machining system is used to precision laser drill holes in an elastomeric material, preferably silicone rubber, to form holes to support miniature electronic components temporarily while they are being processed or tested. The holes are formed by directing laser pulses from a laser to a top surface of the elastomeric material in a plurality of passes in a direction proceeding from a non-zero inner diameter to the desired diameter or from the desired diameter to the inner diameter. The plurality of passes forms a first pattern such that a successive pass of the plurality of passes overlaps a previous pass of the plurality of passes. The first pattern is repeated without changing direction or the first pattern is repeated while reversing the direction until the hole is formed through a bottom surface of the elastomeric material.

Abstract: A sorting apparatus can include a component carrier structured to transport a component along a travel path, a first sort bin, a second sort bin, a first transfer station structured to transfer a component from the component carrier at a first transfer position along the travel path to the first sort bin and a second transfer station structured to transfer a component from the component carrier at a second transfer position along the travel path to the second sort bin. In this embodiment, the distance between the first transfer position and the second transfer position can be less than a width of at least one of the first sort bin and the second sort bin.

Abstract: A process and apparatus neutralizes a warp effect resulting from a build up of micro strains caused by machining a part with a long wavelength laser. The part to be machined is pre-stressed in an opposite direction of a warp stress due to machining using a fixture for holding the part without yielding any other features in the part. The part is machined while held in the pre-stressed position in the fixture.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a plurality of semiconductor parts in a laser-based system adjusts a default recipe to account for work to be performed on at least one part of the plurality of parts. The work to be performed on a part is analyzed using the default recipe and a part-specific recipe including a modified parameter of the default recipe. The default or part-specific recipe is selected based on a desired processing result, and the selected recipe replaces the default recipe to perform the work using the laser-based system.

Abstract: A plurality of capacitors is subjected to a test cycle of charging, soaking and discharging. While in the soaking cycle, a plurality of measurements of current is obtained. The data is used to train a predictive function. Then, a test capacitor is charged and soaked for a shorter period than the plurality of capacitors. The current through the test capacitor is measured more than once during its soak period, and the measured current values are applied to the predictive function to predict whether the current through the test capacitor at the end of the soak time period would be higher than a predetermined value, thus indicating failure of a leakage test by test capacitor.

Abstract: An orthogonal integrated cleaving apparatus and methods of controlling such an apparatus are taught. The cleaving apparatus includes two cleaving devices mounted at right angles with respect to a mount facing a substrate to be processed. The non-metallic and/or brittle substrate is separated along two orthogonal axes without rotating or moving the substrate to a second machine by moving the mount or the substrate along the axes. Each cleaving device laser sequentially heats a surface of the substrate along a respective cutting axis, cools the cut area and then laser re-heats the cut area to form a clean break.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for laser marking a stainless steel specimen with commercially desirable marks. The method includes providing a laser processing system having a laser, and laser optics and a controller with pre-determined laser pulse parameters, selecting the pre-determined laser pulse parameters associated with the desired mark, and directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired marks including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 and less than about 1000 picoseconds.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for creating a mark desired properties on an anodized specimen and the mark itself. The method includes providing a laser marking system having a controllable laser pulse parameters, determining the laser pulse parameters associated with the desired properties and directing the laser marking system to mark the article using the selected laser pulse parameters. Laser marks so made have optical density that ranges from transparent to opaque, white color, texture indistinguishable from the surrounding article and durable, substantially intact anodization. The anodization may also be dyed and optionally bleached to create other colors.

Abstract: An area of reduced thickness is formed in a panel, and a pattern of microscopic holes are formed in the area. The holes are filled with a light transmissive material such as a curable polymer. The thinned area may also be filled with a polymer to reinforce the thinned area and the polymer may be colored to add color to light transmitted through the pattern. The panel can form a portion of a housing surrounding a lighting source that makes the holes visible when lit.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for creating a color and optical density selectable visible mark on an anodized aluminum specimen. The method includes providing a laser marking system having a laser, laser optics and a controller operatively connected to said laser to control laser pulse parameters and a controller with stored laser pulse parameters, selecting the stored laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density, directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 and less than about 1000 picoseconds to impinge upon said anodized aluminum.

Abstract: A method of forming an aperture (e.g., a through via, a blind via, a trench, an alignment feature, etc.) within a substrate includes irradiating a substrate with a laser beam to form a laser-machined feature having a sidewall. The laser-machined feature is then processed to change at least one characteristic (e.g., the sidewall surface roughness, diameter, taper, aspect ratio, cross-sectional profile, etc.) of the laser-machined feature. The laser-machined feature can be processed to form the aperture by performing an isotropic wet-etch process employing an etchant solution containing HNO3, HF and, optionally acetic acid.