Laser processing equipment
By combining a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter, the problems of PBS damage and high cost of non-polarizing beam splitters are solved, achieving high reliability and low cost of laser processing equipment, which is suitable for high-power laser transmission.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422522505.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-09
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-18
AI Technical Summary
In existing laser processing equipment, the beam splitting method is prone to damage to the PBS (polarizing beam splitter) when transmitting light through the optical path of a high-power ultrafast laser, resulting in poor reliability. Furthermore, the non-polarizing beam splitter method increases costs.
A combination of a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter is used. The S-polarization film of the wedge beam splitter and the adjustable half-wave plate are used to split the laser beam, avoiding optical adhesive bonding and reducing the use of ATT devices.
It improves the reliability of laser processing equipment, reduces costs, ensures the consistency of laser beam energy, and is suitable for high-power laser transmission.
Smart Images
Figure CN223642962U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of laser equipment technology, and more specifically, to a laser processing device. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, laser processing equipment is used in the processing of some products. To improve the utilization rate of lasers and the processing efficiency of laser processing equipment, a single laser is split into two beams, allowing a laser that could originally process only one product to process two products simultaneously, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the laser processing equipment. After splitting, it is required that the two beams have the same energy when they reach the processing table. One existing splitting method uses a combination of a half-wave plate and a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) to achieve beam splitting. The disadvantage of this method is that the PBS is prone to damage during high-power ultrafast laser optical path transmission, leading to power attenuation and deterioration of beam quality, thus resulting in a poorer laser-processed product effect. Another existing splitting method uses a non-polarized beam splitter with a splitting ratio of 50:50, and the two beams are split by adjusting the energy of the two beams through an ATT adjustable attenuator. This method has a higher cost due to the addition of two ATT adjustable attenuators. Therefore, the beam splitting methods of laser processing equipment in related technologies have shortcomings and make it difficult to balance equipment cost and reliability.
[0003] In view of the above, this application is hereby submitted. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this application includes providing a laser processing apparatus that balances cost and reliability through improvements in the beam splitting method.
[0005] The embodiments of this application can be implemented as follows:
[0006] This application provides a laser processing device, including a laser and a beam splitter assembly, wherein the beam splitter assembly includes a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter, the laser is used to emit a laser beam, the laser beam passes sequentially through the half-wave plate and the wedge beam splitter, the half-wave plate is used to adjust the polarization state of the laser beam, and the wedge beam splitter is used to reflect a portion of the laser beam to form a first processing beam and transmit another portion of the laser beam to form a second processing beam.
[0007] In an optional embodiment, the wedge angle of the wedge beam splitter is 10° to 40°.
[0008] In an optional embodiment, the laser beam emitted by the laser is vertically polarized, and the light-facing surface of the wedge-shaped beam splitter is coated with an S-polarization film.
[0009] In an optional implementation, the laser is an ultrafast laser with a pulse width of less than 15 ns.
[0010] In an optional embodiment, the laser processing equipment further includes a reflector for reflecting the second processing beam so that the reflected second processing beam is parallel to the first processing beam.
[0011] In an optional embodiment, the light-facing surface of the wedge-shaped beam splitter forms a 45° angle with the incident laser beam, and the reflector forms a 45° angle with the incident second processing beam.
[0012] In an optional embodiment, the laser processing equipment further includes a first zoom beam expander, a first quarter-wave plate, a first galvanometer, and a first field mirror arranged sequentially in the propagation path of the first processing beam;
[0013] The laser processing equipment further includes a second variable magnification beam expander, a second quarter-wave plate, a second galvanometer, and a second field mirror, which are sequentially arranged in the propagation path of the second processing beam.
[0014] In an optional embodiment, the first and second variable magnification beam expanders are 1 to 8x beam expanders.
[0015] In an optional embodiment, the first galvanometer and the second galvanometer are digital galvanometers with an incident aperture of 12-18 mm.
[0016] In an optional embodiment, the first field lens and the second field lens are telecentric field lenses with a focal length of 100-120mm.
[0017] The beneficial effects of the laser processing equipment provided in this application include:
[0018] The laser processing equipment provided in this application includes a laser and a beam splitter assembly. The beam splitter assembly includes a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter. The laser emits a laser beam, which passes sequentially through the half-wave plate and the wedge beam splitter. The half-wave plate adjusts the polarization state of the laser beam. The wedge beam splitter reflects a portion of the laser beam to form a first processing beam and transmits another portion to form a second processing beam. Compared to PBS devices, the wedge beam splitter used in this application does not require photopolymer bonding, can adapt to high-power laser transmission, is less prone to damage, and has better reliability. Furthermore, the laser processing equipment in this application can make the energy of the final first and second processing beams consistent by adjusting the angle of the half-wave plate, eliminating the need for an ATT device to adjust the optical path energy, thus saving costs. Therefore, the laser processing equipment in this application improves upon the poor reliability problem caused by using PBS devices in traditional methods and the high cost of adding ATT devices in traditional methods, balancing high reliability and low cost. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0020] Figure 1 This is the first laser processing equipment in the related technology;
[0021] Figure 2 This is the second type of laser processing equipment in the related technologies;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a laser processing device in one embodiment of this application.
[0023] Icons: 100 - Laser; 200 - Half-wave plate; 300 - Wedge beam splitter; 400 - Mirror; 501 - First processing beam; 510 - First zoom beam expander; 520 - First quarter-wave plate; 530 - First galvanometer; 540 - First field mirror; 601 - Second processing beam; 610 - Second zoom beam expander; 620 - Second quarter-wave plate; 630 - Second galvanometer; 640 - Second field mirror. Detailed Implementation
[0024] Figure 1 This is the first laser processing equipment in related technologies. For example... Figure 1As shown, in a prior art, laser processing equipment includes a laser, a half-wave plate, and a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) used in combination to achieve beam splitting. The energy ratio of transmitted light (P-beam) and reflected light (S-beam) can be adjusted by rotating the angle of the half-wave plate, so that the energy of the reflected and transmitted light reaches the processing table is consistent. Although the method of adjusting the energy ratio is simple, the disadvantage is that the polarizing beam splitter is bonded together with optical adhesive. When used in the optical path transmission of a high-power laser, the polarizing beam splitter is prone to damage, resulting in power attenuation and deterioration of beam quality, thus leading to a decrease in the quality of laser-processed products. Figure 2 This is the second type of laser processing equipment in related technologies. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in this prior art, a 50:50 non-polarizing beam splitter is used to split the laser beam. The split P-beam and S-beam are then passed through an ATT adjustable attenuator, and the energy of the P-beam and S-beam is adjusted by an ATT device to make their energies consistent with those on the processing table. The advantage of this method is that two independent ATT devices can control the energy of the two beams separately, but the disadvantage is that it adds two ATT devices, significantly increasing the cost and increasing optical path loss.
[0025] To address the challenge of balancing cost and reliability in laser processing equipment in related technologies, this application provides a laser processing device that achieves beam splitting by combining a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter, resulting in lower equipment cost and better reliability.
[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0027] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0028] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0029] In the description of this application, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that the utility model product is usually placed in during use, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0031] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.
[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a laser processing device in one embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the laser processing equipment provided in this application embodiment includes a laser 100 and a beam splitter assembly. The beam splitter assembly includes a half-wave plate 200 and a wedge beam splitter 300. The laser 100 is used to emit a laser beam, which passes sequentially through the half-wave plate 200 and the wedge beam splitter 300. The half-wave plate 200 is used to adjust the polarization state of the laser beam. The wedge beam splitter 300 is used to reflect a portion of the laser beam to form a first processing beam 501 and transmit another portion of the laser beam to form a second processing beam 601.
[0033] In this embodiment, the laser 100 is an ultrafast laser with a pulse width of less than 15 ns. The ultrafast laser generates extremely short pulse widths, enabling precision machining with high spatial resolution. Furthermore, due to the extremely short pulse width, the ultrafast laser minimizes the heat-affected zone of the material during processing, almost achieving "cold processing," thus making it suitable for machining heat-sensitive materials (such as semiconductors and biological tissues).
[0034] In optional embodiments, the wedge angle of the wedge beam splitter 300 is 10° to 40°. In this embodiment, the wedge angle of the wedge beam splitter 300 is 30°. Through its wedge structure, the wedge beam splitter 300 can split the incident laser beam into reflected and transmitted light, i.e., the first processed beam 501 and the second processed beam 601, and change their propagation directions, reducing multiple reflections and interference effects. In this embodiment, the wedge beam splitter 300 is a single-lens structure made of glass or other crystals. The wedge beam splitter 300 does not require photopolymer bonding and can withstand high-power lasers without easily being damaged.
[0035] In this embodiment, the laser beam emitted by the laser 100 is vertically polarized light. The wedge-shaped beam splitter 300 has an S-polarization film coated on its light-facing surface, thus selectively transmitting and reflecting portions of the beam, thereby separating the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601. In this embodiment, the S-polarization film is designed according to the initial polarization state of the laser 100, with a diameter of 50.8 mm, a thickness of 9.5 mm, and a specification number of NLB2025-355-S.
[0036] In this embodiment, the laser processing equipment also includes a reflector 400, which is used to reflect the second processing beam 601 so that the reflected second processing beam 601 is parallel to the first processing beam 501. Adjusting the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 to be parallel via the reflector 400 is more conducive to synchronous processing.
[0037] Furthermore, the light-facing surface of the wedge beam splitter 300 forms a 45° angle with the incident laser beam, meaning the direction of the reflected light changes by 90°; the reflector 400 forms a 45° angle with the incident second processing beam 601, allowing the direction of the second processing beam 601 to also change by 90°, thus making it parallel to the first processing beam 501.
[0038] In other embodiments of this application, the laser processing equipment may also omit the reflector 400, such that the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 are perpendicular to each other.
[0039] Furthermore, the laser processing equipment also includes a first variable magnification beam expander 510, a first quarter-wave plate 520, a first galvanometer 530 and a first field mirror 540 arranged sequentially in the propagation path of the first processing beam 501.
[0040] The laser processing equipment also includes a second zoom beam expander 610, a second quarter-wave plate 620, a second galvanometer 630, and a second field mirror 640, which are sequentially arranged in the propagation path of the second processing beam 601.
[0041] Optionally, the first zoom beam expander 510, the first quarter-wave plate 520, the first galvanometer 530, and the first field mirror 540 in the propagation path of the first processing beam 501 have the same structure as the second zoom beam expander 610, the second quarter-wave plate 620, the second galvanometer 630, and the second field mirror 640 in the propagation path of the second processing beam 601, so that the final first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 have good consistency.
[0042] A variable magnification beam expander can continuously adjust the beam diameter within a certain range while maintaining beam collimation. By adjusting the relative positions of the internal lens groups, the beam expander achieves different magnifications. This flexibility makes it very useful in a variety of applications, especially where dynamic adjustment of the beam diameter is required. For example, when the laser processing equipment is a laser cutting or laser welding machine, adjusting the beam diameter using the first variable magnification beam expander 510 and the second variable magnification beam expander 610 can improve cutting accuracy, efficiency, or welding quality. Optionally, the first variable magnification beam expander 510 and the second variable magnification beam expander 610 are 1 to 8x beam expanders.
[0043] The first quarter-wave plate 520 and the second quarter-wave plate 620 are used to convert the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 into circularly polarized light, respectively.
[0044] The first galvanometer 530 and the second galvanometer 630 are used to achieve high-speed scanning of the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601. In this embodiment, the first galvanometer 530 and the second galvanometer 630 are digital galvanometers with an entrance aperture of 12-18 mm, specifically, the entrance aperture can be selected as 15 mm. The digital galvanometer combines traditional galvanometer technology with modern digital control technology, providing higher precision, faster response speed, and greater flexibility.
[0045] In this embodiment, the first field lens 540 and the second field lens 640 are telecentric field lenses with a focal length of 100-120mm, specifically, the focal length can be selected as 110mm. The telecentric field lens is used to realize a telecentric optical path in the imaging system, ensuring that the magnification of the image remains constant at different working distances.
[0046] In the laser processing equipment provided in this application embodiment, the angle of the half-wave plate 200 can be adjusted by rotating it to adjust the energy ratio of the P-light transmitted from the wedge beam splitter 300 and the S-light reflected, so that the energy of the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 remains consistent after passing through the first field mirror 540 and the second field mirror 640, respectively, so as to achieve better processing consistency.
[0047] The main advantages of the laser processing equipment provided in this application embodiment are: using the above-mentioned beam splitting method, the beam is split by a wedge beam splitter 300 with an S-polarization film coated on its surface. The wedge beam splitter 300 is a single lens, which does not require optical adhesive bonding and can withstand a larger laser power 100 without damage. In addition, there is no need to add an additional ATT device to adjust the optical path energy, which reduces the overall cost of the equipment.
[0048] The laser processing equipment provided in this application embodiment can be laser cutting equipment, laser marking equipment, laser welding equipment, laser engraving equipment, laser surgical equipment, etc.
[0049] In summary, this application provides a laser processing apparatus, including a laser 100 and a beam splitter assembly. The beam splitter assembly includes a half-wave plate 200 and a wedge beam splitter 300. The laser 100 emits a laser beam, which passes sequentially through the half-wave plate 200 and the wedge beam splitter 300. The half-wave plate 200 adjusts the polarization state of the laser beam. The wedge beam splitter 300 reflects a portion of the laser beam to form a first processing beam 501 and transmits another portion of the laser beam to form a second processing beam 601. Compared to PBS devices, the wedge beam splitter 300 used in this application does not require photopolymer bonding, can adapt to high-power laser 100 transmission, is less prone to damage, and has better reliability. Furthermore, the laser processing apparatus of this application can make the final energy of the first processing beam 501 and the second processing beam 601 consistent by adjusting the angle of the half-wave plate 200, eliminating the need for an ATT device to adjust the optical energy and saving costs. Therefore, the laser processing equipment of this application improves the problem of poor reliability caused by the use of PBS devices in the traditional way, as well as the problem of high cost after adding ATT devices in the traditional way, and takes into account both high reliability and low cost of the equipment.
[0050] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A laser processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a laser and a beam splitter assembly, wherein the beam splitter assembly includes a half-wave plate and a wedge beam splitter. The laser emits a laser beam, which passes sequentially through the half-wave plate and the wedge beam splitter. The half-wave plate is used to adjust the polarization state of the laser beam. The wedge beam splitter reflects a portion of the laser beam to form a first processing beam and transmits another portion of the laser beam to form a second processing beam.
2. The laser processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wedge angle of the wedge-shaped beam splitter is 10° to 40°.
3. The laser processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser beam emitted by the laser is vertically polarized, and the light-facing surface of the wedge-shaped beam splitter is coated with an S-polarization film.
4. The laser processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser is an ultrafast laser with a pulse width of less than 15 ns.
5. The laser processing equipment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The laser processing equipment also includes a reflector, which is used to reflect the second processing beam so that the reflected second processing beam is parallel to the first processing beam.
6. The laser processing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The light-facing surface of the wedge-shaped beam splitter forms a 45° angle with the incident laser beam, and the reflector forms a 45° angle with the incident second processing beam.
7. The laser processing equipment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The laser processing equipment further includes a first variable magnification beam expander, a first quarter-wave plate, a first galvanometer, and a first field mirror arranged sequentially in the propagation path of the first processing beam; The laser processing equipment further includes a second variable magnification beam expander, a second quarter-wave plate, a second galvanometer, and a second field mirror, which are sequentially arranged in the propagation path of the second processing beam.
8. The laser processing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first and second zoom beam expanders are 1 to 8x beam expanders.
9. The laser processing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first and second galvanometers are digital galvanometers with an incident aperture of 12–18 mm.
10. The laser processing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first field lens and the second field lens are telecentric field lenses with a focal length of 100-120mm.