Abstract: A laser beam deflecting device includes an electro-optic deflector including an electro-optic crystal provided along an optical path of a laser beam, and electrodes for applying a voltage to the electro-optic crystal in a predetermined application direction; and a correction optical system provided downstream of the electro-optic deflector in a radiation direction of the laser beam to correct a beam diameter of the laser beam deflected in the application direction. The radiation direction of the laser beam without being deflected, with no voltage applied by the electrodes, serves as a reference optical axis. The correction optical system serves as an optical system for correcting the beam diameter, at least in the application direction, correspondingly to a distortion in the beam diameter that is dependent on a deflection angle that is formed by the laser beam deflected by the electro-optic deflector and the reference optical axis.

Abstract: Provided are a processing device and a processing method with which the device can be made more compact, and with which highly precise processing can be performed. The processing device, which processes a member to be processed by irradiating the member to be processed with a laser, has: a laser oscillator having a plurality of vertical cavity surface-emitting laser diode chips that output laser light having a wavelength of 1,070 nm or less, and a substrate on the surface of which the plurality of vertical cavity surface-emitting laser diode chips are arranged in a matrix; a guidance optical system that guides the laser light output from the laser oscillator; and a control device that controls the output of the laser oscillator.

Abstract: A laser machining device includes a laser machining head and a control unit. The laser machining head applies laser for machining an object to be machined, and includes a first laser light source for first laser, a second laser light source for second laser having a different pulse width different from the first laser, a condensing optical system provided between the object and the laser light sources to condense at least the lasers on the object, a switch mechanism provided between the condensing optical system and the laser light sources so that the switch mechanism is movable to a position that at least one of the lasers enters the condensing optical system, and an irradiation angle change mechanism provided between the condensing optical system and the switch mechanism to change an irradiation angle of the first laser. The control unit controls the laser machining head.

Abstract: This invention is directed to attenuating a beam output without changing the beam position and the beam diameter. A high-output optical attenuator includes a first reflector that totally reflects incident light and causes first reflected light serving as reflected light of the incident light to enter a second reflecting portion, a second reflector that reflects the first reflected light and causes second reflected light serving as reflected light of the first reflected light to enter a third reflecting portion, a third reflector that reflects the second reflected light and causes third reflected light serving as reflected light of the second reflected light to enter a fourth reflecting portion, and a fourth reflector that reflects the third reflected light as fourth reflected light having the same optical axis as the optical axis of the incident light. At least two of the second reflector, the third reflector, and the fourth reflector are half mirrors.

Abstract: This invention is directed to reliably condensing weak light by a sensor arranged at a position spaced apart from a processing position. The optical processing head includes a light guide that guides light for irradiating a processing position. The optical processing head further includes a light transmitter that has one end arranged near the distal end of the light guide and the other end connected to a photodetector, condenses reflected light traveling from the processing position, and transmits it to the photodetector. The optical processing head includes at least one light transmitter as its feature.

Abstract: A processing apparatus and a processing method which perform processing more accurately with a simple structure are provided. The processing apparatus includes an irradiation head 16 and a control device. The irradiation head 16 includes a laser turning unit 35 and a condensing optical system 37. The laser turning unit 35 includes a first prism 51, a second prism 52, a first rotating mechanism 53, and a second rotating mechanism 54. The control device adjusts the differences between rotation speeds and phase angles of the first prism 51 and the second prism 52 based on a relation between at least a heat affected layer of a workpiece and a turning speed of laser.

Abstract: Provided are a machining device and a machining method in which machining of higher precision can be performed with a simple configuration. The machining device has an irradiation head (16) and a controller; and the irradiation head (16) can be divided into a collimate optical system, a laser revolving unit (35), and a light collection optical system (37). The laser revolving unit (35) has a first prism (51), a second prism (52), a first rotation mechanism (53), and a second rotation mechanism (54). The controller controls the rotational speeds and the difference in phase angles of the first prism (51) and the second prism (52), on the basis of at least the relationship between a heat affected layer of a member to be machined and the revolving speed of the laser.

Abstract: Provided are a processing device and a processing method with which the device can be made more compact, and with which highly precise processing can be performed. The processing device, which processes a member to be processed by irradiating the member to be processed with a laser, has: a laser oscillator having a plurality of vertical cavity surface-emitting laser diode chips that output laser light having a wavelength of 1,070 nm or less, and a substrate on the surface of which the plurality of vertical cavity surface-emitting laser diode chips are arranged in a matrix; a guidance optical system that guides the laser light output from the laser oscillator; and a control device that controls the output of the laser oscillator.

Abstract: This invention is directed to attenuating a beam output without changing the beam position and the beam diameter. A high-output optical attenuator includes a first reflector that totally reflects incident light and causes first reflected light serving as reflected light of the incident light to enter a second reflecting portion, a second reflector that reflects the first reflected light and causes second reflected light serving as reflected light of the first reflected light to enter a third reflecting portion, a third reflector that reflects the second reflected light and causes third reflected light serving as reflected light of the second reflected light to enter a fourth reflecting portion, and a fourth reflector that reflects the third reflected light as fourth reflected light having the same optical axis as the optical axis of the incident light. At least two of the second reflector, the third reflector, and the fourth reflector are half mirrors.

Abstract: This invention is directed to reliably condensing weak light by a sensor arranged at a position spaced apart from a processing position. The optical processing head includes a light guide that guides light for irradiating a processing position. The optical processing head further includes a light transmitter that has one end arranged near the distal end of the light guide and the other end connected to a photodetector, condenses reflected light traveling from the processing position, and transmits it to the photodetector. The optical processing head includes at least one light transmitter as its feature.

Abstract: A laser heating control mechanism according to this invention is a mechanism that performs proper adjustment of preheating or postheating by a simple operation in three-dimensional shaping. The laser heating control mechanism is a laser heating control mechanism for preheating or postheating a heating target object. The laser heating control mechanism includes an optical fiber that transmits a laser beam and radiates the laser beam from an opening end face, a collimation optical system that fucuses the laser beam radiated from the opening end face onto the heating target object, and an irradiation range adjustment mechanism that adjusts the distance between the opening end face and the collimation optical system along the irradiation axis of the laser beam so as to irradiate the heating target object with the laser beam at a predetermined beam diameter.

Abstract: In order to make focal positions of laser beams having different wavelength bands coincide with one another: a laser output device that oscillates laser beams having plural wavelength bands; a spectrometer that respectively disperses the laser beams of the respective wavelength bands; and condensers that respectively condense the laser beams dispersed by the spectrometer independently and match focal points thereof to the same position, are included.

Abstract: In order to simplify a configuration even if laser beams of different wavelength bands are used, a laser output device, which oscillates laser beams of plural wavelength bands, and an irradiation head, which performs irradiation by condensing the laser beams of the respective wavelength bands with focal distances thereof being shifted from each other on the same optical axis S, are included.

Abstract: Provided is a laser processing method in which a laser processing head for irradiating, with at least a short-pulse laser, a processed article having a protection layer laminated to a metal layer is used to process the processed article, whereby high-quality, highly accurate processing is possible by means of a short-pulse laser processing step for irradiating the protection layer with the short-pulse laser and ablating the protection layer, and a metal layer processing step for ablating the metal layer in the area that was ablated during the short-pulse laser processing step.

Abstract: A processing apparatus and a processing method which perform processing more accurately with a simple structure are provided. The processing apparatus includes an irradiation head 16 and a control device. The irradiation head 16 includes a laser turning unit 35 and a condensing optical system 37. The laser turning unit 35 includes a first prism 51, a second prism 52, a first rotating mechanism 53, and a second rotating mechanism 54. The control device adjusts the differences between rotation speeds and phase angles of the first prism 51 and the second prism 52 based on a relation between at least a heat affected layer of a workpiece and a turning speed of laser.

Abstract: Provided are a machining device and a machining method in which machining of higher precision can be performed with a simple configuration. The machining device has an irradiation head (16) and a controller; and the irradiation head (16) can be divided into a collimate optical system, a laser revolving unit (35), and a light collection optical system (37). The laser revolving unit (35) has a first prism (51), a second prism (52), a first rotation mechanism (53), and a second rotation mechanism (54). The controller controls the rotational speeds and the difference in phase angles of the first prism (51) and the second prism (52), on the basis of at least the relationship between a heat affected layer of a member to be machined and the revolving speed of the laser.

Abstract: A three-dimensional laser processing machine performs high-precision laser processing on a workpiece (W) by setting the focal position of laser light to be condensed by a condensing lens at a predetermined distance from a portion to be processed of the workpiece (W), is provided with a three-dimensional shape measuring instrument (50) for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the workpiece (W), and sets the focal position of the laser light at the predetermined distance from the portion to be processed on the basis of three-dimensional shape data relating to the workpiece (W) measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring instrument (50).

Abstract: Provided are a machining device (10), a machining unit, and a machining method that irradiate a workpiece (8) with a laser beam to perform cutting or boring machining of the workpiece (8). The invention has a laser output device (12), a guiding optical system (14) that guides a laser beam, and an irradiating head (16) that guides a laser beam and irradiates the workpiece (8) with the laser beam. The irradiating head (16) integrally rotates a first prism (52) and a second prism (54) with a rotation mechanism, thereby rotating a light path of the laser beam around a rotational axis of the rotation mechanism and irradiating the workpiece (8) while rotating the position of irradiation to the workpiece.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device that exhibits increased open-circuit voltage and an improved fill factor due to an improvement in the contact properties between the n-layer and a back-side transparent electrode layer or intermediate contact layer, and a process for producing the photovoltaic device. The photovoltaic device comprises a photovoltaic layer having a p-layer, an i-layer and an n-layer stacked on top of a substrate, wherein the n-layer comprises a nitrogen-containing n-layer and an interface treatment layer formed on the opposite surface of the nitrogen-containing n-layer to the substrate, the nitrogen-containing n-layer comprises nitrogen atoms at an atomic concentration of not less than 1% and not more than 20%, and has a crystallization ratio of not less than 0 but less than 3, and the interface treatment layer has a crystallization ratio of not less than 1 and not more than 6.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device having a high conversion efficiency is produced in a stable manner. The conditions for film deposition of a microcrystalline silicon photovoltaic layer (4) in a photovoltaic device are set based on the Raman peak ratio within a Raman spectrum obtained at the substrate (1) side of the microcrystalline silicon layer (4), and the Raman peak ratio within a Raman spectrum obtained at the opposite side to the substrate (1).