Abstract: A system and method for repairing a photomask (52) for use in a photolithography process is disclosed, the photomask (52), consisting of a substrate layer (38) and a chrome layer (36) over the substrate layer (38), having a defect (42) in the chrome layer (36), the method comprising: providing a pulsed laser source (1) for generating an ultra-short pulsed laser beam; providing optical elements for scanning, directing and focusing the pulsed laser beam at a desired target location; directing the pulsed laser beam through the substrate and focusing it on a target location located inside the substrate adjacent the defect (42) to write a diffractive optical element (34), thus changing the scattering properties of the substrate at the target location.

Abstract: An apparatus for laser machining for optically machining a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a plane polarized primary laser beam source adapted to generate a primary plane polarized light beam; a beam splitter, adapted to split the primary light beam into a plurality of secondary light beams; a light modulator array, comprising an array of individually controllable elements that are each adapted to be set to either allow each beam of the plurality of secondary light beams to traverse through, or effectively block it; a microlens array, comprising an array of microlens elements foci of predetermined lengths, said microlens array elements corresponding to the elements of the light modulator array so that light beam passing through an element of the light modulator array is focused by a corresponding element of the microlens array; and control means adapted to independently switch each of the elements of the light modulator between a transparent and opaque modes in a predetermined manner.