Method and device for processing a workpiece by means of a processing beam

The method and device address thermally induced focus shifts by guiding a focused processing beam through a virtual three-dimensional focus pattern, ensuring precise machining of transparent materials by compensating for thermal changes, thus achieving accurate and error-free fine structure creation.

WO2026124928A1 Publication Date: 2026-06-18CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Filing Date
2025-11-18
Publication Date
2026-06-18

AI Technical Summary

⚠Technical Problem

Conventional machining processes for transparent materials like glass and crystalline silicon face challenges due to thermally induced focus shifts caused by partial absorption of processing beams, leading to inaccuracies in fine structure creation, especially in high-precision applications such as photolithographic chip manufacturing.

⚗Method used

A method and device that guide a focused processing beam along a virtual three-dimensional focus pattern, compensating for thermally induced changes in optical properties and material volumes, ensuring all machining locations remain in a desired plane by defining a three-dimensional focus pattern that adjusts for lensing effects and focus shifts.

🎯Benefits of technology

Enables high-precision machining without machining errors, such as protrusions or recesses, by accurately maintaining focus despite thermal changes, allowing for faster and more accurate processing of complex structures.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A method for processing a workpiece (10) by means of a focused processing beam (50a) involves carrying out a scanning process in which the processing beam (50a) is directed onto a succession of processing locations, at which the material is processed by removal or modification. All the processing locations lie in a processing plane (70-1 to 70-5). This scanning process is repeated multiple times, the processing locations each lying in different processing planes (70-1 to 70-5). In this way, a three-dimensional distribution of processing locations is obtained. During the scanning process, a focus (62) of the processing beam (50a) is guided along a virtual three-dimensional focusing pattern (72). The virtual focusing pattern (72) is defined such that, despite thermally induced changes in the optical properties of optical elements (100-1 to 100-4, 102, 106, 108, 58, 60) and / or material volumes of the workpiece (10) that lie in the beam path of the processing beam (50a), all the processing locations lie in the processing plane (70-1 to 70-5).
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