A laser processing apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to the field of laser processing technology and provides a laser processing device. The laser processing device includes: a laser for emitting a laser beam; an optical path switching system for deflecting the laser beam to a flat-top optical path or a Gaussian optical path, wherein the laser beam is output as a flat-top beam in the flat-top optical path and as a Gaussian beam in the Gaussian optical path; a processing head for deflecting the exit direction of the flat-top beam output from the flat-top optical path or the Gaussian beam output from the Gaussian optical path and guiding it to a preset processing position; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the optical path switching system, for controlling the optical path switching system to switch the laser beam between the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path according to processing needs. In the embodiments of this application, the laser processing device can quickly switch between different modes of laser beams, which helps to improve processing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of laser processing, and in particular relates to a laser processing device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, the number of layers in printed circuit boards (PCBs) has increased and the material composition has become more complex. Different layers and their materials often require different laser processing equipment or laser reconfiguration to obtain laser beams of different modes for processing. The low mode switching efficiency leads to low processing efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a laser processing device that allows for rapid switching between multiple laser beam modes using the same device, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a laser processing device, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; an optical path switching system for deflecting the laser beam to a flat-top optical path or a Gaussian optical path, wherein the laser beam is output in a flat-top beam mode via the flat-top optical path and in a Gaussian beam mode via the Gaussian optical path; a processing head for deflecting the exit direction of the flat-top beam output from the flat-top optical path or the Gaussian beam output from the Gaussian optical path and guiding it to a preset processing position; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the optical path switching system, for controlling the optical path switching system to switch the laser beam between the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path according to processing requirements.

[0005] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the optical path switching system includes a first acousto-optic modulator and a second acousto-optic modulator arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction; the first acousto-optic modulator and the second acousto-optic modulator are configured to deflect the first stage of the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path by different activation combinations.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect, when the first acousto-optic modulator is turned on and the second acousto-optic modulator is turned off, the laser beam is deflected to the flat-top optical path; when the first acousto-optic modulator is turned off and the second acousto-optic modulator is turned on, the laser beam is deflected to the Gaussian optical path.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the controller is configured to apply different timing control signals to the first and second acousto-optic modulators, the timing control signals being used to control the on and off states of the first and second acousto-optic modulators within a plurality of consecutive control cycles.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the optical path switching system further includes a multifaceted prism; the first and second acousto-optic modulators are configured to deflect the laser beam to different reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism through different activation combinations; the reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism include a first reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the flat-top optical path, and a second reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the Gaussian optical path.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are formed by a coating process.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the optical path switching system further includes a light-blocking device; when both the first acousto-optic modulator and the second acousto-optic modulator are turned off, the laser beam is incident on the light-blocking device through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism; and when either the first acousto-optic modulator or the second acousto-optic modulator is turned on, the zero-order light of the laser beam is incident on the light-blocking device through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the optical path switching system is a first beam deflection system configured to deflect the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path by movement of optical components.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first beam deflection system is a motor-driven galvanometer, rotating mirror, or galvanometer scanner.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the flat-top optical path includes a shaping device for adjusting the laser beam from the Gaussian beam to the flat-top beam.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the Gaussian optical path and / or the flat-top optical path includes: a spot size adjustment device for adjusting the spot size of the laser beam.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first aspect, a beam combiner is provided between the optical path switching system and the processing head to guide the flat-top beam output from the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian beam output from the Gaussian optical path to the same direction.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the flat-top optical path and / or the Gaussian optical path are configured with a polarization state adjustment device for adjusting the polarization state of the laser beam.

[0017] In some embodiments of the first aspect, a beam splitting module is provided between the beam combiner and the processing head. The beam splitting module is used to guide the flat-top beam or Gaussian beam output by the beam combiner to multiple processing axes, each of which is provided with a corresponding processing head.

[0018] In some embodiments of the first aspect, a beam adjustment system is provided between the laser and the optical path switching system for adjusting the polarization state and / or spot size of the laser beam.

[0019] In the embodiments of this application, the laser beam is deflected to a flat-top optical path or a Gaussian optical path by a controller-controlled optical path switching system. This allows the laser beam to be output in a flat-top beam mode via the flat-top optical path or in a Gaussian beam mode via the Gaussian optical path. Subsequently, the processing head can guide the flat-top beam or Gaussian beam to a preset processing position after deflection. This enables the same laser processing equipment to quickly switch between different modes of laser beams using the optical path switching system. Compared to using multiple laser processing equipment or adjusting the mode of the laser, this saves time spent on material handling between equipment and waiting for laser reconfiguration, thus helping to improve processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the laser processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a first specific structural schematic diagram of the laser processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the multifaceted prism provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a second specific structural schematic diagram of the laser processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a third specific structural schematic diagram of the laser processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application; The labels for each attached figure are as follows: 1-Laser processing equipment; 10-Laser; 20-Optical path switching system; 201-First acousto-optic modulator; 202-Second acousto-optic modulator; 203-Multifaceted prism; 204-Light blocking device; 205-First beam deflection system; 30-Flat-top optical path; 301-Shaping device; 40-Gaussian optical path; 50-Processing head; 60-Controller; 70-Beam combiner; 80-Beam adjustment system; 90-Beam splitter module; 100-Platform. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0023] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0024] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0025] In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined.

[0026] With technological advancements, PCBs are becoming increasingly multi-layered and their material compositions are becoming more complex. The laser absorption and removal processes for different materials vary significantly, necessitating the matching of various complex laser processing techniques during manufacturing. For different PCB layers and their materials, different laser processing equipment or laser reconfiguration are often required to obtain laser beams with different modes for processing. Low mode switching efficiency leads to low overall processing efficiency.

[0027] In view of this, this application proposes a laser processing device that can quickly switch between different modes of laser beams. Compared with using multiple laser processing devices or adjusting the mode of the laser, it can save the time spent on material handling between devices and waiting for laser reconfiguration, and helps to improve processing efficiency.

[0028] To illustrate the technical solution of this application, specific embodiments are described below.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the laser processing equipment 1 provided in this application is shown. The laser processing equipment 1 may include: Laser 10 is used to emit a laser beam; The optical path switching system 20 is used to deflect the laser beam to the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40. The laser beam is output in the mode of a flat-top beam through the flat-top optical path 30 and in the mode of a Gaussian beam through the Gaussian optical path 40. The processing head 50 is used to deflect the output direction of the flat-top beam output from the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian beam output from the Gaussian optical path 40 and guide it to a preset processing position. The controller 60 is used to be connected to the optical path switching system 20 via communication, and to control the optical path switching system 20 to switch the laser beam between the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40 according to the processing requirements.

[0030] Among them, the flat-top optical path 30 is the path for the flat-top beam to propagate in space. The flat-top beam is a laser beam with energy uniformly distributed in the central region of the spot and rapidly decreasing to zero at the edges. The Gaussian optical path 40 is the path for the Gaussian beam to propagate in space. The Gaussian beam is a laser beam with energy distributed in a bell shape (consisting of a Gaussian function) that is "strong in the middle and weak at the edges".

[0031] In the embodiments of this application, the optical path switching system 20 is controlled by the controller 60. The optical path switching system 20 can switch the laser beam emitted by the laser 10 between the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40, so that the laser beam is output from one of the two paths. When the laser beam is output from the flat-top optical path 30, the laser beam enters the processing head 50 in the mode of a flat-top beam. When the beam is output from the Gaussian beam, the laser beam enters the processing head 50 in the mode of a Gaussian beam.

[0032] The processing head 50 can rapidly deflect the laser beam, moving it along the processing path on the substrate to be processed, thereby guiding it to a preset processing position. The laser spot formed at the processing position can be selected as a focused or defocused spot according to processing needs. The focal point of the spot can be on the surface of the substrate or at other locations (for example, the focal point of a defocused spot can be some distance from the processing position). It can be understood that when the laser beam is output from the flat-top optical path 30, the laser beam output by the processing head 50 is a flat-top beam; when the laser beam is output from the Gaussian optical path 40, the laser beam output by the processing head 50 is a Gaussian beam. Therefore, based on laser processing requirements, the laser processing equipment 1 can selectively output a flat-top beam or a Gaussian beam, achieving multi-modal laser output.

[0033] In the embodiments of this application, the controller 60 controls the optical path switching system 20 to deflect the laser beam to the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40, so that the laser beam is output in the mode of a flat-top beam through the flat-top optical path 30, or in the mode of a Gaussian beam through the Gaussian optical path 40. Then, the processing head 50 can guide the flat-top beam or Gaussian beam to a preset processing position after deflection. This allows the same laser processing equipment 1 to quickly switch between different modes of laser beams using the optical path switching system. Compared with using multiple laser processing equipment or adjusting the mode of the laser, this can save the time spent on material handling between equipment and waiting for laser reconfiguration, and helps to improve processing efficiency.

[0034] In some embodiments of this application, the laser 10 may be a solid-state laser (e.g., nanosecond laser, picosecond laser, femtosecond laser, etc.), a gas laser (e.g., a CO2 laser), or other types of lasers, and this application does not impose any limitations on this. A laser 10 capable of providing suitable laser wavelength, pulse width, and pulse frequency can be selected according to processing requirements. The power, spot size, and pulse count of the laser beam emitted by the laser 10 can all be set according to processing requirements.

[0035] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 2 As shown, the optical path switching system 20 may include a first acousto-optic modulator 201 and a second acousto-optic modulator 202 arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction. The first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are configured to deflect the first stage of the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40 by different activation combinations.

[0036] The acousto-optic modulator is a device that controls the laser beam using sound waves, and can adjust the intensity, frequency, or propagation direction of the laser beam. Both the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 can be turned on or off, and can deflect the laser beam to different propagation directions. An "on" combination refers to a combination where the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are each in an on or off state. Through different "on" combinations, the first stage of the laser beam incident on the optical path switching system 20 can be deflected to different optical paths.

[0037] Specifically, the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are configured not to be turned on simultaneously. In some embodiments of this application, when the first acousto-optic modulator 201 is on and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 is off, the laser beam can be deflected to the flat-top optical path 30. When the first acousto-optic modulator 201 is off and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 is on, the laser beam can be deflected to the Gaussian optical path 40.

[0038] In some embodiments of this application, the optical path switching system 20 may further include a multifaceted prism 203. The first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 may be configured to deflect the laser beam to different reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism 203 through different activation combinations. The reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism 203 include a first reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the flat-top optical path 30, and a second reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the Gaussian optical path 40.

[0039] More specifically, the primary beam generated by the laser beam modulated by the first acousto-optic modulator 201 is reflected by the first reflecting surface to the flat-top optical path 30. The primary beam generated by the laser beam modulated by the second acousto-optic modulator 202 is reflected by the second reflecting surface to the Gaussian optical path 40. The multifaceted prism 203 can reduce the optical path length of the primary beam before it reaches the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40, thereby reducing the size of the optical path system.

[0040] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first and second reflective surfaces can be formed by coating.

[0041] Specifically, the multifaceted prism 203 can refer to a multifaceted beam-splitting prism composed of one or more pieces of optical glass. The multifaceted beam-splitting prism forms a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface by coating high-reflectivity films on different surfaces. Since the separation angle of the acousto-optic modulator is relatively small, for example, 10 mrad, if the beam is naturally separated, the beam splitting optical path of the acousto-optic modulator would need to exceed 1.5 meters under the condition of a 1-inch diameter reflector. Using a multifaceted beam-splitting prism can shorten the beam splitting optical path of the acousto-optic modulator, making the optical path design more flexible and reducing the space occupied by the optical path structure of the device.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 2 As shown, the optical path switching system 20 may further include a light-blocking device 204. When both the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are off, the laser beam enters the light-blocking device 204 through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism 203. And, when either the first acousto-optic modulator 201 or the second acousto-optic modulator 202 is on, the zero-order light of the laser beam enters the light-blocking device 204 through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism.

[0043] The light-blocking device 204 can be used to recover excess laser beam energy and has a water-cooling function.

[0044] For details, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The aforementioned multifaceted prism 203 also includes a transmission surface and an emission surface. A high-transmittance film is coated on the transmission surface and the emission surface, so that the zero-order beams of the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202, as well as the laser beam when both the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are turned off, can be projected onto the light-blocking device 204 through the transmission surface and the emission surface.

[0045] It is understood that the first and second reflecting surfaces of the multifaceted prism 203 are used to receive the first-order beam and reflect it to the corresponding flat-top optical path 30 or Gaussian optical path 40, respectively. The transmitting and exiting surfaces of the multifaceted prism 203 are used to transmit the beam received from the transmitting surface. This application does not limit the angle between the first reflecting surface, the second reflecting surface, the transmitting surface and the exiting surface of the multifaceted prism 203. The angle can be reasonably set according to the beam transmission direction in the optical path switching system 20, the incident beam direction received by the flat-top optical path 30 and the incident beam direction received by the Gaussian optical path 40, so as to make reasonable use of the space occupied by the optical path structure of the device.

[0046] In one specific implementation, to reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the multifaceted prism 203 and further reduce the space occupied by the optical path structure of the device, please refer to... Figure 3 The multifaceted prism 203 is configured as a multifaceted beam-splitting prism integrally formed from a single piece of optical glass. Exemplarily, the transmitting surface is parallel to the exiting surface; a first angle β is formed between the extension lines of the first reflecting surface and the transmitting surface, where 0° < β < 90°; a second angle α is formed between the extension lines of the second reflecting surface and the transmitting surface, where 0° < α < 90°; wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are located on opposite sides of the transmitting surface.

[0047] Considering that the beam emitted by laser 10 is a Gaussian beam, the diameter d of the Gaussian spot corresponding to the Gaussian beam is a range with the center of the spot as the origin and a radius of d / 2. When the diameter of the projection of the transmission surface on the cross section perpendicular to the transmission direction of the Gaussian beam is greater than or equal to 2d, the energy of the portion that the transmission surface cannot catch is less than or equal to 0.03%, which can be ignored. In this case, it is assumed that the multifaceted prism 203 completely catches the incident laser beam. Therefore, this application sets the size of the projection of the transmission surface on the cross section perpendicular to the transmission direction of the Gaussian beam to be greater than or equal to twice the diameter of the laser beam spot, in order to reduce the influence of the incident laser beam on the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40 when both the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 are turned off.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the controller 60 is configured to apply different timing control signals to the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 and the second acoustic-optic modulator 202. The timing control signals can be used to control the on / off states of the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 and the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 within multiple consecutive control cycles. Within the same control cycle, both the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 and the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 can be off, or the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 can be on and the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 can be off, or the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 can be off and the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 can be on.

[0049] Specifically, in some embodiments of this application, the timing control signal can be used to control the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and the second acousto-optic modulator 202 to work alternately, thereby achieving pulse time-division deflection. Specifically, the laser processing equipment 1 can first turn on the first acousto-optic modulator 201, then turn off the second acousto-optic modulator 202, then turn off the first acousto-optic modulator 201 and turn on the second acousto-optic modulator 202, thus processing with a flat-top beam followed by a Gaussian beam. Alternatively, the laser processing equipment 1 can first turn on the second acousto-optic modulator 202, then turn off the first acousto-optic modulator 201, then turn off the second acousto-optic modulator 202 and turn on the first acousto-optic modulator 201, thus processing with a Gaussian beam followed by a flat-top beam.

[0050] In other embodiments, the timing control signal can also be used to turn on the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 and turn off the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 in two consecutive control cycles, and then turn off the first acoustic-optic modulator 201 and turn on the second acoustic-optic modulator 202 in two consecutive control cycles, or to achieve other specific timing.

[0051] In other embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 The optical path switching system 20 can be a first beam deflection system 205, which can be configured to deflect the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40 by the movement of optical devices.

[0052] Specifically, the first beam deflection system 205 may include an optical device with a reflective surface and a motion drive mechanism for rapidly deflecting the reflective surface of the optical device, which may be a motor-driven galvanometer, rotating mirror, or galvanometer scanner.

[0053] A motor-driven galvanometer can include a motor, a reflector, a position sensor, a controller, and a driver. The controller and driver receive commands and control the motor's movement. The motor directly or indirectly drives the reflector to perform small-angle reciprocating oscillations (discontinuous rotation). The position sensor detects the reflector's deflection angle in real time, forming a closed-loop control. Furthermore, the motor-driven galvanometer may include motion support structures, such as flexible hinges and bearings, to ensure stable and precise movement of the reflector. The motor-driven galvanometer can rapidly and precisely oscillate the reflector to reflect a laser beam to a designated position (i.e., into a flat-top beam or a Gaussian beam).

[0054] The rotating mirror can also include a motor, a reflector, and a motion support structure, which can drive the reflector to rotate continuously through the motor, thereby changing the propagation direction of the incident light beam.

[0055] The galvanometer scanner may include a scanning mirror, an electromagnetic drive unit, a position feedback sensor, and a motion support structure. The electromagnetic drive unit generates an electromagnetic effect by controlling the current in the input coil, which drives the scanning mirror to rotate around its axis, thereby changing the propagation direction of the incident light beam.

[0056] Considering that the original laser beam directly output by most lasers 10 is a Gaussian beam, the mode of the laser beam can be maintained in the Gaussian optical path 40 and the mode of the laser beam can be adjusted in the flat-top optical path 30.

[0057] For details, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments of this application, the flat-top optical path 30 may include a shaping device 301 for adjusting the laser beam from a Gaussian beam to a flat-top beam. For example, the shaping device 301 may be a refractive beam shaper of an aspherical lens.

[0058] In particular, if the laser beam output by laser 10 is a flat-top beam, the structural designs of the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40 can be interchanged.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, the Gaussian optical path 40 and / or the flat-top optical path 30 may include a spot size adjustment device for adjusting the spot size of the laser beam. Specifically, the spot size adjustment device may be a beam expander or a beam reducer; the beam expander can increase the spot size, and the beam reducer can decrease the spot size. The spot size adjustment device may cooperate with a timing control signal so that, when processing with a mixed Gaussian beam and a flat-top beam, different combinations of spot sizes of the Gaussian beam and the flat-top beam can be used, such as a small-size flat-top beam, a large-size Gaussian beam, or a large-size flat-top beam, a small-size Gaussian beam, or the same spot size for both the Gaussian beam and the flat-top beam.

[0060] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 A beam combiner 70 can be provided between the optical path switching system 20 and the processing head 50. The beam combiner has the characteristics of transmitting P-polarized light and reflecting S-polarized light. By adjusting the polarization state of the flat-top beam (corresponding to the first polarized light) output by the flat-top optical path 30 and / or the polarization state of the Gaussian beam (corresponding to the second polarized light) output by the Gaussian optical path 40, the flat-top beam output by the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian beam output by the Gaussian optical path 40 can be guided to the same direction. Specifically, the beam combiner 70 can reflect the first polarized light from the flat-top optical path 30 (or the Gaussian optical path 40) and transmit the second polarized light from the Gaussian optical path 40 (or the flat-top optical path 30). The polarization directions of the first polarized light and the second polarized light are perpendicular to each other. For example, the first polarized light is S-deflected and the second polarized light is P-deflected, or the first polarized light is P-deflected and the second polarized light is S-deflected, so that the laser beam is output through a unified optical path after passing through the beam combiner 70, which is used to process the same spatial position of the workpiece by rapidly switching between different modes of the beam.

[0061] To meet the beam polarization state requirements of the beam combiner 70, in some embodiments of this application, the flat-top optical path 30 and / or the Gaussian optical path 40 may be configured with polarization state adjustment devices for adjusting the polarization state of the laser beam. The polarization state adjustment device may be a waveplate.

[0062] For details, please refer to Figure 2 When the optical path switching system 20 includes a first acousto-optic modulator 201 and a second acousto-optic modulator 202 arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction, since the acousto-optic modulators only receive and output S-polarized light when turned on, the beams incident on the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40 are all S-polarized light. A polarization state adjustment device can be configured on one of the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40 to adjust the flat-top beam (corresponding to the first polarized light) output from the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian beam (corresponding to the second polarized light) output from the Gaussian optical path 40 to P-polarized light. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 4 When the optical path switching system 20 includes a first beam deflection system 205, the beams emitted from the first beam deflection system 205 to the flat-top optical path 30 or the Gaussian optical path 40 both contain S-polarized light and P-polarized light. Polarization state adjustment devices can be configured in both the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40. The polarization state adjustment device in the flat-top optical path 30 can be used to adjust the laser beam to the first polarization light, and the polarization state adjustment device in the Gaussian optical path 40 can be used to adjust the laser beam to the second polarization light.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, a beam adjustment system 80 may be provided between the laser 10 and the optical path switching system 20 to adjust the polarization state and / or spot size of the laser beam so that the polarization state and / or spot size of the laser beam meets the incident beam diameter requirements of the optical path switching system 20.

[0064] For details, please refer to Figure 2 When the optical path switching system 20 includes a first acousto-optic modulator 201 and a second acousto-optic modulator 202 arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction, the beam adjustment system 80 may include a waveplate and a beam expander or beam reducer arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction of the laser beam. The waveplate is used to adjust the polarization state and may include, but is not limited to, a half-waveplate or a quarter-waveplate. The beam expander can increase the beam spot size, and the beam reducer can decrease the beam spot size.

[0065] For details, please refer to Figure 4 When the optical path switching system 20 includes the first beam deflection system 205, the beam adjustment system 80 may include a beam expander or a beam reducer. The beam expander can increase the beam spot size, while the beam reducer can decrease the beam spot size.

[0066] In some embodiments of this application, the processing head 50 may include a second beam deflection system 501 and a focusing lens 502.

[0067] The second beam deflection system 501 is used to deflect the laser beam and can be one or more of a galvanometer, a rotating mirror, or an acousto-optic deflector.

[0068] The focusing lens 502 can be a field lens (F-θ lens) used to guide the beam deflected by the second beam deflection system 501 to the processing position on the processing plane in a vertical incident manner.

[0069] In some embodiments of this application, a beam splitting module 90 is provided between the beam combiner 70 and the processing head 50. The beam splitting module 90 can be used to guide the flat-top beam or Gaussian beam output by the beam combiner 70 to multiple processing axes, each processing axis being provided with a corresponding processing head 50.

[0070] Therefore, each machining head 50 corresponding to a machining axis can receive a laser beam split by the beam splitting module 90 and guide it to a preset machining position. Machining heads 50 corresponding to different machining axes can guide the laser beam to different machining positions, thereby realizing simultaneous machining at multiple machining positions and helping to improve machining efficiency.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, the laser processing equipment 1 may further include one or more reflectors for changing the beam propagation direction. The positions of the reflectors include, but are not limited to: between the optical path switching system 20 and the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40, between the flat-top optical path 30 and the Gaussian optical path 40 and the beam combiner 70, and between the beam combiner 70 and the processing head 50, which can be set according to the optical path propagation requirements.

[0072] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 As shown, the laser processing equipment 1 may further include: a platform 100 for carrying the material to be processed. It should be noted that the material to be processed may include, but is not limited to, non-metallic substrates (e.g., glass substrates), metal substrates, and semiconductor substrates.

[0073] In some embodiments of this application, the laser processing apparatus 1 may further include a moving component and a fixing component. The moving component can be used to translate or rotate the material to be processed, so that the material to be processed faces the processing head 50 in a specific posture. The fixing component can be used to fix the material to be processed to improve processing accuracy.

[0074] In some embodiments of this application, the controller 60 can also be used to control one or more of the laser 10, the optical path switching system 20, and the processing head 50.

[0075] It is understood that the controller 60 may include one or more processors and a memory. The processors are used to run computer programs, such as image processing programs. The computer program may be divided into one or more modules / units, which are stored in the memory and executed by the processor to complete the present application. The one or more modules / units may be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing specific functions, which describe the execution process of the computer program in the electronic device.

[0076] The processor referred to can be a central processing unit, or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), off-the-shelf programmable gate arrays or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0077] The memory can be an internal storage unit of the electronic device, such as a hard drive or RAM. The memory can also be an external storage device, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card. Furthermore, the memory can include both internal and external storage units. The memory is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the electronic device. The memory can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0078] In the embodiments of this application, the laser processing equipment 1 is equipped with laser beams of different modes that can be adjusted rapidly in real time. Through multi-mode processing of the laser beam, a more refined processing scheme can be achieved, which can meet the complex processing requirements of high-end PCB materials.

[0079] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the aforementioned laser processing equipment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0080] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0081] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A laser processing apparatus characterized by comprising: include: A laser, used to emit a laser beam; An optical path switching system is used to deflect the laser beam to a flat-top optical path or a Gaussian optical path. The laser beam is output in a flat-top beam mode via the flat-top optical path, and in a Gaussian beam mode via the Gaussian optical path. The processing head is used to deflect the output direction of the flat-top beam from the flat-top optical path or the Gaussian beam from the Gaussian optical path and guide it to a preset processing position. The controller is connected to the optical path switching system via communication and is used to control the optical path switching system to switch the laser beam between the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path according to the processing requirements.

2. The laser processing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The optical path switching system includes a first acousto-optic modulator and a second acousto-optic modulator arranged sequentially along the beam propagation direction. The first and second acousto-optic modulators are configured to deflect the first stage of the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path by different switching combinations.

3. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein When the first acousto-optic modulator is turned on and the second acousto-optic modulator is turned off, the laser beam is deflected to the flat-top optical path; When the first acousto-optic modulator is off and the second acousto-optic modulator is on, the laser beam is deflected to the Gaussian optical path.

4. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The controller is configured to apply different timing control signals to the first and second acousto-optic modulators, the timing control signals being used to control the on and off states of the first and second acousto-optic modulators within multiple consecutive control cycles.

5. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The optical path switching system also includes a multifaceted prism; The first and second acousto-optic modulators are configured to deflect the laser beam to different reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism by different activation combinations; the reflective surfaces of the multifaceted prism include a first reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the flat-top optical path, and a second reflective surface for reflecting the first stage of the laser beam to the Gaussian optical path.

6. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein The first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are formed by coating.

7. The laser processing equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The optical path switching system also includes a light-blocking device; When both the first and second acousto-optic modulators are turned off, the laser beam is incident on the light-blocking device through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism. When either the first acousto-optic modulator or the second acousto-optic modulator is turned on, the zero-order light of the laser beam is incident on the light-blocking device through the transmission surface of the multifaceted prism.

8. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The optical path switching system is a first beam deflection system, which is configured to deflect the laser beam to one of the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian optical path by means of the movement of optical devices.

9. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein The first beam deflection system is a motor-driven galvanometer, rotating mirror, or galvanometer scanner.

10. The laser processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The flat-top optical path includes a shaping device for adjusting the laser beam from the Gaussian beam to the flat-top beam.

11. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein The Gaussian optical path and / or the flat-top optical path include: A spot size adjustment device is used to adjust the spot size of the laser beam.

12. The laser processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein A beam combiner is provided between the optical path switching system and the processing head to guide the flat-top beam output from the flat-top optical path and the Gaussian beam output from the Gaussian optical path to the same direction.

13. The laser processing equipment as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The flat-top optical path and / or the Gaussian optical path are equipped with polarization state adjustment devices for adjusting the polarization state of the laser beam.

14. The laser processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein A beam splitting module is provided between the beam combiner and the processing head. The beam splitting module is used to guide the flat-top beam or Gaussian beam output by the beam combiner to multiple processing axes, and each processing axis is provided with a corresponding processing head.

15. The laser processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein A beam adjustment system is provided between the laser and the optical path switching system for adjusting the polarization state and / or spot size of the laser beam.

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