Multi-Laser Irradiation Control for Uniform Annealing Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser annealing apparatuses do not effectively control laser light emitted from multiple laser light sources, leading to inefficiencies and uneven irradiation due to individual product differences in laser characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A laser irradiation apparatus with a control unit that acquires characteristic information from each laser light source and adjusts attenuator transmittances and polarization ratios to optimize laser light synthesis, ensuring consistent energy density and polarization, thereby improving processing quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser light from multiple laser light sources is used to increase irradiation efficiency, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to individual product differences in laser characteristics causing irradiation unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts parameters such as attenuator transmittance and polarization ratio for each laser light source based on its characteristic information (output energy, polarization ratio). By changing these parameters individually for each laser source, the system compensates for manufacturing variations and achieves uniform irradiation energy density across all beams, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while using multiple high-power laser sources for improved productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acquires characteristic information from each laser light source and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the attenuator transmittance and polarization ratio settings. This closed-loop control ensures that despite individual variations in laser characteristics, the final irradiation energy density remains uniform across all laser beams, resolving the contradiction between using multiple sources for productivity and maintaining precision
2Manufacturing precision
If attenuator transmittance is adjusted to compensate for laser characteristic variations, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it acquires characteristic information from each laser source, calculates the appropriate attenuator transmittance and polarization ratio settings, and sends control signals to the variable attenuators and polarization controllers. This multi-functional approach consolidates the control system, achieving manufacturing precision through integrated control while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus efficiently controls laser light from multiple sources, reducing irradiation unevenness and enhancing the quality of polycrystalline silicon film formation by compensating for individual laser variations.
Implementation Method 1
a first variable attenuator disposed in a first optical path from the first laser light source to the beam combining unit, and a second variable attenuator disposed in a second optical path from the second laser light source to the beam combining unit
Implementation Method 2
a first polarization ratio control unit disposed in the first optical path from the first laser light source to the beam combining unit, and a second polarization ratio control unit disposed in the second optical path from the second laser light source to the beam combining unit
Implementation Method 3
a beam combining unit configured to synthesize laser light from the plurality of laser light sources
Data Source
AI summary
A laser irradiation apparatus is a laser irradiation apparatus including a plurality of laser light sources, the laser irradiation apparatus including a control unit configured to perform control with regard to laser emitted from the plurality of laser light sources, in which the control unit acquires characteristic information of each of the plurality of laser light sources, and performs a predetermined process according to each piece of acquired characteristic information.