Abstract: There is provided a laser machining apparatus, and a laser machining method using the same. The laser machining apparatus has a body portion having a plurality of laser irradiating sections and work mounting sections, a supplying stocker for supplying workpieces, and a discharging stocker for discharging the workpieces. The apparatus further comprises a supply-side transfer unit having work retaining tables capable of attracting/releasing the workpieces and being of the same number as the laser irradiating sections, and moving in vertical and horizontal directions, and a discharge-side transfer unit having work retaining tables capable of attracting/releasing the workpieces and being of the same number as the laser irradiating sections, and moving in vertical and horizontal directions.

Abstract: In a machining method and a machining apparatus, prior to machining, an NC control unit makes an X-axis drive unit move a table based on examination conditions specified in advance. Thus, the NC control unit obtains a stabilization time required from the command-reach time of a poisoning command and till the stabilization of position response of the table within a predetermined allowable range. Likewise, for moving a drill in a Y-axis direction, the NC control unit obtains a stabilization time required till the stabilization of position response within a predetermined allowable range. At the time of machining, the drill is moved in a Z-axis direction to cut into a printed wiring board as soon as the obtained stabilization time has passed.

Abstract: A maskless exposure method and a maskless exposure apparatus in which maskless exposure can be performed efficiently with high-directivity illumination light, while the exposure efficiency of solder resist can be improved. Blue-violet semiconductor lasers 12A emitting laser beams 1a with a wavelength of 405 nm and ultraviolet semiconductor lasers 12B emitting laser beams 1b with a wavelength of 375 nm are provided to irradiate a substrate 8 with the laser beams 1a and 1b whose optical axes are made coaxial. In this event, one and the same place on the substrate 8 is irradiated with the laser beams 1a and 1b a plurality of times. Thus, the variation in intensity of the laser beams 1a and 1b is averaged.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for perforating a printed circuit board are provided so that the processing efficiency and the board densification can be improved. In test processing, a conductor layer 50i is irradiated with a pulsed laser beam 4a whose energy density is set at a value high enough to process the conductor layer 50i while emission 23a from a processed portion is monitored. Thus, the number of pulses of irradiation required for processing a window in the conductor layer 50i is obtained. An insulating layer 51i is irradiated with a pulsed laser beam 5a whose energy density is set at a value high enough to process the insulating layer 51i but low enough not to process a conductor layer 50i+1 under the insulating layer 51i. Thus, the number of pulses of irradiation required for processing a window in the insulating layer 51i is obtained.

Abstract: There is provided a printed board machining apparatus having fewer restrictions in terms of the length of printed boards to be machined, that can be readily controlled in positioning a sheet-like workpiece and that is capable of improving the machining efficiency. Plural sets of optical scanners and f? lenses that compose laser condensing and positioning mechanisms are disposed apart in a width direction (X direction) orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the sheet-like workpiece and two sheet-like workpieces are fixed on a machining table in parallel, and in the width direction to machine printed boards on the sheet-like workpieces The disposition of the f? lenses allows the machining of the plurality of lengthy printed boards to be completed practically at the same time or at the same time without limiting the length of the printed boards to be machined.

Abstract: A compensator/remapper and method for compensation and remapping of a laser beam for control and correction of laser pointing and thermal drift instability in a laser beam delivery system including a laser generating a laser beam and a plurality of optical elements for directing, shaping and focusing the laser beam along a beam path to a target. A compensator/remapper includes a compensator element and a remapper element. The compensator element receives an input laser beam having a range of input angles and lateral displacements and redirects components of the input laser beam into an aligned laser beam having evenly distributed and parallel components. The remapper element is illuminated by the aligned laser beam from the compensator element and remaps the components of the aligned laser beam into a shaped laser beam having a profile that is optimum for remapping into a flat top laser beam.

Abstract: In a laser beam machining apparatus, a work supply station is disposed on one side of a laser beam machining apparatus body, and a work holding station is disposed on the other side of the laser beam machining apparatus body. Each of the work supply station and the work holding station is provided with a means for removing a work vertically and positioning the work w in a horizontal state on a machining table. A stocker including works disposed therein is disposed in the work supply station, and a stocker including no work disposed therein is disposed in the work holding station, so that a surface of a work w disposed in the stocker is machined, and the machined work is disposed in the stocker. When the machining of the works disposed in the stocker has been finished, the stocker is rotated through 180 degrees about a vertical axis by a lifter. Then, a back of the work is machined according to a procedure reverse from the above-described machining procedure.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and an apparatus for forming a plurality of ultraviolet-wavelength laser beams, and a laser machining apparatus, in which the machining efficiency can be improved due to easy maintenance and inspection while deterioration of wavelength conversion means can be prevented to reduce the running cost. A laser beam with a near infrared wavelength output from a laser oscillator is branched into a plurality of laser beams by a laser distribution unit. Each branched laser beam is partially converted into a laser beam whose wavelength is ½ of the near infrared wavelength by a wavelength converter.

Abstract: There is provided a laser drilling method that prevents hanging, expansion, or crinkles of copper foil caused when an ultraviolet laser beam that requires no surface roughening is used for a thin double-sided copper-clad film. The drilling method of the copper-clad film comprises the steps of: using an ultraviolet laser as a laser beam; drilling after bonding a resin film to the backside of the film which is the opposite side to the laser-beam-incidence; and delaminating the resin film on the backside after drilling. The resin film bonded to the backside prevents the copper foil from hanging, thus allowing the laser beam to be efficiently applied to the copper foil, and allowing the copper foil to be completely removed by ablation. In the case of a blind hole, the resin film bonded to the backside prevents expansion of the copper foil. Crinkles can be also prevented.

Abstract: An optical scanner which can realize target trajectory tracking machining at a high speed and with a high accuracy. In a servo control circuit controlling the operation of an X-axis scanner for positioning a mirror and the operation of a Y-axis scanner for positioning another mirror, sine wave response is performed at a specific frequency on feedback control for each axis so that the gain characteristic and the phase characteristic of the feedback control are estimated. This arithmetic operation processing is performed by a microprocessor prior to machining, and the results of estimation of the two axes are stored as data for each frequency. In the stage of machining, the results of estimation in terms of the gain characteristic and the phase characteristic are used for correcting the amplitude and phase of a sine wave of a target trajectory in order to cancel each characteristic.

Abstract: A radially non-symmetric beamforming element for transforming the input energy profile of an input laser beam subject to lateral shift that is variable in radial direction and magnitude into a desired output energy profile of an output laser beam. The beam forming element includes an optical element having a profile transformation function that includes a first profile transformation function for transforming the input energy profile into the desired output energy profile and a profile correction transformation function superimposed on the first profile transformation function for modifying the first profile transformation function to correct distortions in the output energy profile introduced be a lateral shift of the input laser beam.

Abstract: A pen type input device with a camera has improved usability as a result in improved construction of the device. The pen type input device with the camera is adapted for use in detecting both of a horizontally elongated object and a vertically elongated object. On the other hand, means for pointing to the object and the process content simultaneously, and further means for detecting the fact that the user is pointing to the object in an erroneous manner and for teaching a correct manner of pointing to the object depending thereon are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides an active mass damper by use of which a machining apparatus can be downsized. The active mass damper includes a support unit for supporting a weight movably and horizontally, a motor for driving the weight, and a controller for controlling the motor. A torque command signal to be given to a motor of an X-table and a torque command signal to be given to a motor of a Z-table are put into the controller of the active mass damper so that the motor for driving the weight can be driven by feed-forward control using the torque command signals and feedback control based on the displacement of the weight.

Abstract: A method for determining a position of a reference point in which there is no influence of aberration of a camera lens or the like, but an error caused by a failure in shape of an alignment mark can be reduced. An alignment mark consisting of a plurality of pattern portions (and background portions) centering at a design reference point is provided in advance. Positions of centers of border lines of the patterns are calculated. Obtained coordinate values of the centers are averaged in each axial direction. The averaged coordinate values are regarded as coordinate values of a machining reference point. Thus, even when a defect occurs in any pattern portion, an error caused by the defect is reduced so that the accuracy in machining can be improved.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a printed circuit board in which advance of packaging density of the printed circuit board and reduction in production cost can be attained while processing quality can be made uniform, a method for processing the printed circuit board and a method for producing the printed circuit board. There is provided a printed circuit board including an alternate laminate of electric conductor layers and electrically insulating layers, wherein a coating layer capable of absorbing laser light but insoluble in an etching solution dissolving the electric conductor layers is provided on a front surface of a first one of the electric conductor layers. In this case, the coating layer may be provided on a front surface of a rear one of the electric conductor layers. Each of the electric conductor layers may contain Cu as a main component while the coating layer may contain CuO as a main component. The coating layer may have a thickness not thinner than 0.6 ?m.

Abstract: A pattern exposure method and a pattern exposure apparatus in which the throughput is improved with an inexpensive apparatus and without a low running cost. Output faces of a plurality of laser beams emitted from a plurality of semiconductor lasers respectively are arranged in two directions. One of the directions is the same direction as the scanning direction of a polygon mirror while the other is a direction crossing the scanning direction of the polygon mirror. In this event, the array pitch of the output faces arranged in the direction crossing the scanning direction of the polygon mirror is made equal to resolution of an exposure pattern. In this event, the wavelength of each laser may be made not longer than 410 nm.

Abstract: A optical scanner control method and a optical scanner capable of positioning a mirror at a high speed independently of a rocking angle, and a laser machining apparatus for irradiating a printed circuit board with a laser beam by use of the optical scanner to thereby perforate the printed circuit board. In order to operate an actuator for rocking the mirror based on a deviation of a current position from an commanded value, a change in gain of the actuator is measured in accordance with each rocking angle in advance, and the manipulated variable of the actuator is corrected to cancel the change in gain. Thus, the influence of the alteration of a torque constant in accordance with the rocking angle can be suppressed so that the response characteristic becomes uniform all over a scanning region, and the positioning speed can be improved.

Abstract: A difference between each position command data outputted in a form of a step signal from a high-level controller and its corresponding detected position data of a movable body is integrated by an integral compensator to position the movable body. Assuming, for example, that the movable body is a steerable mirror, digital filters are arranged to compensate the value of an initial state of an angular displacement and the value of an initial state of an angular velocity, respectively, and respective impulse responses of the digital filters as additional input elements are added to an output terminal of the integral compensator. For higher effectiveness, internal state variables of the digital filters can desirably be cleared to zero whenever an angle (position) command data is received.

Abstract: The invention provides an active mass damper by use of which a machining apparatus can be downsized. The active mass damper includes a support unit for supporting a weight movably and horizontally, a motor for driving the weight, and a controller for controlling the motor. A torque command signal to be given to a motor of an X-table and a torque command signal to be given to a motor of a Z-table are put into the controller of the active mass damper so that the motor for driving the weight can be driven by feed-forward control using the torque command signals and feedback control based on the displacement of the weight.

Abstract: A laser machining method and a laser machining apparatus superior in hole position accuracy and hole quality. An outgoing beam outputted as short pulses is shaped by a pulse shaping unit so as to form a #1 branch beam. The #1 branch beam is supplied to a portion to be machined, so as to machine the portion. In this case, the #1 branch beam may be controlled to synchronize with the outgoing beam. When a piece to be machined is made from a metal material and at least one of an organic material and an inorganic material, the metal material is machined with a laser beam shaped to have a pulse width not shorter than 100 ns, and at least one of the organic material and the inorganic material is machined with a laser beam shaped to have a pulse width shorter than 100 ns.