Line-Beam Laser Marking for Uniform Wide-Area Scanning

The patent divides the single beam into multiple parallel beams (e.g., 7 beams) using a beam splitter or diffraction grating. Each beam processes a separate line simultaneously, transforming a sequential single-beam scanning process into a parallel multi-beam processing system. This segmentation enables wide-area marking to be completed in one pass rather than requiring repetitive scanning, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining manageable system complexity.

The patent introduces a beam shaping element (such as a cylindrical lens or anamorphic prism) that transforms the Gaussian beam profile into a top-hat or uniform intensity distribution. This local modification of the beam's energy distribution ensures that each point across the beam width receives equal energy, eliminating the non-uniform processing effect caused by the Gaussian profile while preserving the beam's focusing capability.

Instead of superposing peripheries of a single beam, the patent segments the beam into multiple non-overlapping parallel beams. Each beam processes a distinct line without repetition, eliminating the time-wasting repetitive drawing while maintaining uniform processing through the beam shaping element. This approach achieves both uniformity and efficiency simultaneously.

The patent introduces a spatial light modulator (SLM) as an intermediary device that receives a single input beam and outputs multiple programmable parallel beams. The SLM acts as a flexible mediator that can dynamically configure the number, position, and intensity of the parallel beams without requiring complex mechanical beam splitting optics. This intermediary approach achieves high productivity through one-pass wide-area marking while keeping the overall system configuration manageable and reconfigurable.