EP2683519A1 - Procédé et appareil permettant de marquer au laser des articles de manière fiable - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil permettant de marquer au laser des articles de manière fiable

Info

Publication number
EP2683519A1
EP2683519A1 EP11860642.5A EP11860642A EP2683519A1 EP 2683519 A1 EP2683519 A1 EP 2683519A1 EP 11860642 A EP11860642 A EP 11860642A EP 2683519 A1 EP2683519 A1 EP 2683519A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
laser
anodization
mark
marks
aluminum
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11860642.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2683519A4 (fr
Inventor
Haibin Zhang
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Electro Scientific Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Electro Scientific Industries Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Electro Scientific Industries Inc filed Critical Electro Scientific Industries Inc
Publication of EP2683519A1 publication Critical patent/EP2683519A1/fr
Publication of EP2683519A4 publication Critical patent/EP2683519A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/009—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using a non-absorbing, e.g. transparent, reflective or refractive, layer on the workpiece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/02—Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
    • B23K26/04—Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
    • B23K26/046—Automatically focusing the laser beam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/02—Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
    • B23K26/06—Shaping the laser beam, e.g. by masks or multi-focusing
    • B23K26/062—Shaping the laser beam, e.g. by masks or multi-focusing by direct control of the laser beam
    • B23K26/0622—Shaping the laser beam, e.g. by masks or multi-focusing by direct control of the laser beam by shaping pulses
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/08—Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
    • B23K26/082—Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/08—Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
    • B23K26/083—Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
    • B23K26/0853—Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least in two axial directions, e.g. in a plane
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/18—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/36—Removing material
    • B23K26/362—Laser etching
    • B23K26/364—Laser etching for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/36—Removing material
    • B23K26/40—Removing material taking account of the properties of the material involved
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/262—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used recording or marking of inorganic surfaces or materials, e.g. glass, metal, or ceramics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
    • B23K2101/34—Coated articles, e.g. plated or painted; Surface treated articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
    • B23K2101/34—Coated articles, e.g. plated or painted; Surface treated articles
    • B23K2101/35—Surface treated articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/08—Non-ferrous metals or alloys
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/08—Non-ferrous metals or alloys
    • B23K2103/10—Aluminium or alloys thereof

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to laser marking of anodized articles.
  • it relates to marking anodized articles in a durable and commercially desirable fashion with a laser processing system.
  • a laser processing system Specifically it relates to
  • Desirable attributes for marking include consistent appearance, durability, and ease of application.
  • Appearance refers to the ability to reliably and repeatably render a mark with a selected shape, color and optical density. Durability is the quality of remaining unchanged in spite of abrasion to the marked surface. Ease of application refers to the cost in materials, time and resources of producing a mark including
  • Programmability refers to the ability to program the marking device with a new pattern to be marked by changing software as opposed to changing hardware such as screens or masks.
  • Anodized metal articles which are lightweight, strong, easily shaped, and have a durable surface finish, have many applications in industrial and commercial goods.
  • Anodization describes any one of a number of electrolytic passivation processes in which a natural oxide layer is increased on metals such as aluminum, titanium, zinc, magnesium, niobium or tantalum in order to increase resistance to corrosion or wear and for cosmetic purposes.
  • metals such as aluminum, titanium, zinc, magnesium, niobium or tantalum in order to increase resistance to corrosion or wear and for cosmetic purposes.
  • These surface layers can be colored or dyed virtually any color, making a permanent, colorfast, durable surface on the metal.
  • Many of these metals can be advantageously marked using aspects of the instant invention.
  • metals such as stainless steel which resist corrosion can be marked in this fashion.
  • Many articles manufactured out of metals such these as are in need of permanent, visible, commercially desirable marking.
  • Anodized aluminum is an exemplary material that has such needs.
  • LIPSS laser-induced periodic surface structures
  • Temporal pulse shape can range from simple Gaussian pulses to more complex shapes depending upon the task.
  • Exemplary non-Gaussian laser pulses advantageous for certain types of processing are described in US Patent No. 7,126,746 GENERATING SETS OF TAILORED LASER PULSES, inventors Sun et al., which patent has been assigned to the assignees of the instant invention and is hereby incorporated by reference. This patent discloses methods and apparatus to create laser pulses with temporal profiles that vary from the typical Gaussian temporal profiles produced by diode pumped solid state (DPSS) lasers.
  • DPSS diode pumped solid state
  • non-Gaussian pluses are called “tailored” pulses because their temporal profile is altered from the typical Gaussian profile by combining more than one pulse to create a single pulse and/or modulating the pulse electro-optically.
  • This type of tailored pulse can be effective in processing materials at high rates without causing problems with debris or excessive heating of surrounding material.
  • An issue is that measuring the duration of complex pulses such as these using standard methods typically applied to Gaussian pulses can yield anomalous results.
  • Gaussian pulse durations are typically measured using the full width at half maximum (FWH ) measure of duration.
  • FWH full width at half maximum
  • using the integral square method as described in US Patent No. 6,058,739 LONG LIFE FUSED SILICA ULTRAVIOLET OPTICAL ELEMENTS, inventors Morton et al., allows complex pulse temporal shapes to be measured and compared in a more meaningful manner.
  • pulse duration is measured using the formula
  • T(t) is a function which represents the temporal shape of the laser pulse.
  • Making marks according to the methods claimed in this patent are disadvantageous for two reasons: first, creating commercially desirable black marks with nanosecond- range pulses tends to cause destruction of the oxide layer and secondly, cleaning of the aluminum following polishing or other processing adds another step in the process, with associated expense, and possibly disturbs a desired surface finish by further processing.
  • An aspect of this invention marks anodized aluminum articles with visible white marks of various optical densities. These marks are durable and have commercially desirable appearance. This is achieved by using a laser marking system to create the marks. These marks are created within or underneath the oxide layer and are therefore protected by the oxide. The laser pulses create commercially desirable marks without causing substantial damage to the oxide layer, thereby making the marks durable. Durable, commercially desirable marks are created on anodized aluminum by controlling the laser parameters which create and direct laser pulses. In one aspect of this invention a laser processing system is adapted to produce laser pulses with appropriate parameters in a programmable fashion.
  • Exemplary laser pulse parameters which may be selected to improve the reliability and repeatability of laser marking anodized aluminum include laser type, wavelength, pulse duration, pulse repletion rate, number of pulses, pulse energy, pulse temporal shape, pulse spatial shape and focal spot size and shape. Additional laser pulse parameters include specifying the location of the focal spot relative to the surface of the article and directing the speed of the relative motion of the laser pulses with respect to the article.
  • aspects of this invention create durable, commercially desirable marks by whitening the oxide layer on top of the metallic article with optical densities which range from nearly undetectable with the unaided eye to bright white depending upon the particular laser pulse parameters employed.
  • Other aspects of this invention create durable, commercially desirable marks on anodized aluminum by bleaching or partially bleaching dyed or colored anodization with or without marking the aluminum beneath.
  • Another aspect of this invention creates micro-scale modifications to the anodization layer that scatter light and create marks which vary in appearance from a light "frosted” or diffuse appearance to an opaque, bright, white appearance without total removal of the anodization.
  • the method includes providing a laser marking system having a laser, laser optics and a controller operatively connected to said laser to control laser pulse parameters and a controller with stored laser pulse parameters, selecting the stored laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density, directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 picosecond and less than about 1000 nanoseconds or continuous wave (CVV) to impinge upon said anodized aluminum.
  • a laser marking system having a laser, laser optics and a controller operatively connected to said laser to control laser pulse parameters and a controller with stored laser pulse parameters, selecting the stored laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density, directing the laser marking system to produce laser pulses having laser pulse parameters associated with the desired color and optical density including temporal pulse widths greater than about 1 picosecond and less than about 1000 nanoseconds or continuous wave (CVV) to impinge upon said anodized aluminum.
  • CVV continuous wave
  • Embodiments of this invention mark anodized aluminum articles with visible marks of various optical densities and colors, durably, selectably, predictably, and repeatably. It is advantageous for these marks to appear on or near the surface of the aluminum or within the anodization and leave the anodization layer substantially intact to protect both the surface and the marks. Marks made in this fashion are referred to as interlayer marks since they are made at or on the surface of the aluminum beneath the oxide layer that forms the anodization, or within the oxide layer itself. Embodiments of this invention leave the surface of the oxide substantially intact following marking in order to protect the marks and provide a surface that is mechanically contiguous between adjacent marked and non-marked regions.
  • these marks are typically indistinguishable to the human touch from the surrounding, unmarked anodization. Further, these marks should be able to be produced reliably and repeatably, meaning that if a mark with a specific color and optical density is desired, a set of laser parameters is known which will produce the desired result when the anodized aluminum is processed by a laser processing system. It is also contemplated that in some cases white marks created with a laser processing by modifying the anodization layer be further processed by addition of fluorescent or phosphorescent dyes to the anodization either before of after laser processing.
  • An embodiment of the instant invention uses an adapted laser processing system to mark anodized aluminum articles.
  • An exemplary laser processing system which can be adapted to mark anodized aluminum articles is the ESI MM5330 micromachining system, manufactured by Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., Portland, OR 97229. This system is documented in ESI publication "Model 5330ns Service Guide", ESI P/N 178987a, October 2009, which is included in its entirety by reference.
  • This system is a micromachining system employing a diode-pumped Q- switched solid state laser with an average power of 5.7 W at 30 K Hz pulse repetition rate, second harmonic doubled to 532 nm wavelength.
  • ESI ML5900 micromachining system Another exemplary laser processing system which may be adapted to mark anodized aluminum articles is the ESI ML5900 micromachining system, also manufactured by Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., Portland, OR 97229. This system is documented in ESI publication "Model 5900 Service Guide", ESI P/N 178472A, October 2009, which is included in its entirety by reference.
  • This system employs a solid state diode-pumped laser which can be configured to emit wavelengths from about 355 nm (UV) to about 1064 nm (IR) at pulse repetition rates up to 5 MHz.
  • Either system may be adapted by the addition of appropriate laser, laser optics, parts handling equipment and control software to reliably and repeatably produce marks in anodized aluminum surfaces according to the methods disclosed herein.) These modifications permit the laser processing system to direct laser pulses with the appropriate laser parameters to the desired places on an appropriately positioned and held anodized aluminum article at the desired rate and pitch to create the desired mark with desired color and optical density.
  • Fig 1 shows a diagram of an ESI MM5330 micromachining system adapted for marking articles according to an embodiment of the instant invention.
  • Adaptations include the laser 10, which, in an embodiment of this invention is a diode pumped Nd:YV0 4 solid state laser operating at 1064 nm wavelength, model Rapid manufactured by Lumera Laser GmbH, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
  • This laser is optionally frequency doubled using a solid state harmonic frequency generator to reduce the wavelength to 532 nm or tripled to about 355 nm, thereby creating visible (green) or ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses, respectively.
  • This laser 10 is rated to produce 6 Watts of continuous power and has a maximum pulse repetition rate of 1000 KHz.
  • This laser 10 produces laser pulses 12 with duration of 1 picosecond to 1,000 nanoseconds in cooperation with controller 20.
  • These laser pulses 12 may be Gaussian or specially shaped or tailored by the laser optics 14 to permit desired marking.
  • the laser optics 14, in cooperation with the controller 20, direct laser pulses 12 to form a laser spot 16 on or near article 18.
  • Article 18 is fixtured upon stage 22, which includes motion control elements which, in cooperation with the controller 20 and laser optics 14 provides compound beam positioning capability.
  • Compound beam positioning is the capability to mark shapes on an article 18 while the article 18 is in relative motion to the laser spot 16 by having the controller 20 direct steering elements in the laser optics 14 to compensate for the relative motion induced by motion of the stage 22, the laser spot 16 or both.
  • the laser pulses 12 are also shaped by the laser optics 14 in cooperation with controller 20, as they are directed to form a laser spot 16 on or near article 18.
  • the laser optics 14 directs the laser pulses' 12 spatial shape, which may be Gaussian or specially shaped. For example, a "top hat" spatial profile may be used which delivers a laser pulse 12 having an even dose of radiation over the entire spot which impinges the article being marked. Specially shaped spatial profiles such as this may be created using diffractive optical elements.
  • Laser pulses 12 also may be shuttered or directed by electro-optical elements, steerable mirror elements or galvanometer elements of the laser optics 14.
  • the laser spot 16 refers to the focal spot of the laser beam formed by the laser pulses 12.
  • the laser optics 14 control the depth of focus of the laser spot 16, or how quickly the spot goes out of focus as the plane of measurement moves away from the focal plane.
  • the controller 20 can direct the laser optics 14 and the stage 22 to position the laser spot 16 either at or near the surface of the article 18 repeatably with high precision. Making marks by positioning the focal spot above or below the surface of the article allows the laser beam to defocus by a specified amount and thereby increase the area illuminated by the laser pulse and decrease the laser fluence at the surface. Since the geometry of the beam waist is known, precisely positioning the focal spot above or below the actual surface of the article will provide additional precision control over the spot size and fluence.
  • Fig 2 is a microphotograph showing a mark created on anodized aluminum 30 using prior art laser with >1 nanosecond pulses.
  • the anodization shows clear signs of cracking 32 in the mark area 34, an undesirable result.
  • Fig 3 shows the same color and optical density mark 38 on the same type of anodized aluminum 36 made with a picosecond laser showing no cracking.
  • Picosecond lasers mark anodized aluminum articles with a commercially desirable black without causing damage to the oxide layer.
  • picosecond lasers are much less expensive, require much less maintenance, and typically have much longer operating lifetimes than prior art femtosecond lasers.
  • aspects of the instant invention do not require cleaning of the aluminum surface prior to anodization to create commercially desirable marks.
  • An embodiment of the instant invention performs marking on anodized aluminum under the anodization.
  • the laser fluence defined by:
  • FIG 4 shows a diagram of a laser pulse focal spot 40 and the beam waist in its vicinity.
  • the beam waist is represented by a surface 42 which is the diameter of the spatial energy distribution of a laser pulse as measured by the FWHM method on the optical axis 44 along which the laser pulses travel.
  • the diameter 48 represents the laser pulse spot size on the surface of the aluminum when the laser processing system focuses the laser pulse at a distance (A-O) above the surface.
  • Diameter 46 represents the laser pulse spot size on the surface of the aluminum when the laser processing system focuses the laser pulses at a distance (O-B) below the surface.
  • Figs 5 and 6 show a series of grayscale marks made on anodized aluminum made by an embodiment of this invention.
  • the optical density of the marks range from nearly indistinguishable from the background to fully black.
  • each grayscale mark can be identified by a unique triplet of CIE colorimetry values. L*, a* and b*.
  • An aspect of the instant invention associates each desired grayscale value with a set of laser parameters that reliably and repeatably produce the desired grayscale value mark on anodized aluminum upon command. Note also that the marks which may seem indistinguishable to the naked eye can become visible when illuminated with other than broad spectrum visible light, for example ultraviolet light.
  • Fig 5 shows black marks 60, 62, 64, and 66 made on anodized aluminum 70 by an embodiment of this invention.
  • Another feature of these marks is that since they are underneath undamaged anodization, they have uniform appearance over a wide range of viewing angles. Marks made using prior art methods tend to have wide variation in appearance depending upon viewing angle due to damage to the anodization layer.
  • marking with prior art nanosecond pulses applying enough laser pulse energy to the surface to make dark marks causes damage to the anodization which causes the appearance of the marks to change with viewing angle.
  • Marks made by an aspect of the instant invention do not damage anodization regardless of how dark the marks are, nor do they change in appearance with viewing angle.
  • the marks 60, 62, 64, 66 range in optical density from virtually unnoticeable 60 against the unmarked aluminum to full black 62.
  • Grayscale optical densities 64, 66 between the two extremes are created by moving the focal spot closer to the article, increasing the fluence and thereby creating darker marks.
  • the height of the focal spot above the surface of the aluminum varies from zero, in the case of the darkest optical density mark 62, increasing by 500 micron increments for each mark 64, 66 from right to left in Fig 5, ending at 5 mm above the surface for the lightest mark 60.
  • marks 64 created with focal spot located 4.5 to 1.5 mm above the surface of the aluminum show tan or golden colors and marks created with focal spot one mm 62 and 66 or less appear gray or black.
  • Another aspect of the instant invention determines the relationship between marks with colors other than grayscale and picosecond laser pulse parameters.
  • Colors other than grayscale can be produced on anodized aluminum in two different ways. In the first, a gold tone can be produced in a range of optical densities. This color is produced by changes made at the interface between the aluminum and the oxide coating. Careful choice of laser pulse parameters will produce the desired golden color without damaging the oxide coating.
  • Fig 5 also shows various shades of gold or tan created by an aspect of the instant invention.
  • Laser marking of anodized aluminum can also be achieved by an aspect of the instant invention which uses IR wavelength laser pulses to mark the aluminum.
  • This aspect creates marks of varying grayscale densities by varying the laser fluence at the surface of the aluminum in two different manners.
  • grey scale can be achieved by varying the fluence at the surface by positioning the focal spot above or below the surface of the aluminum.
  • the second manner of controlling grey scale is to vary the total dose at the surface of the aluminum by changing the bite sizes or line pitches when marking the desired patterns.
  • Changing bite sizes refers to adjusting the rate at which the laser pulse beam is moved relative to the surface of the aluminum or changing the pulse repetition rate or both, which results in changing the distance between successive laser pulse impact sites on the aluminum.
  • Varying line pitches refers to adjusting the distance between marked lines to achieve various degrees of overlapping.
  • a second type of marking which may be applied to anodized aluminum using picosecond or nanosecond laser pulses is alterations in color contrast caused by bleaching of dyed anodization.
  • anodization is porous, and will readily accept dyes of many types.
  • this microphotograph of anodized aluminum shows the porous nature of surface.
  • Laser pulses used to mark dyed anodized aluminum can, depending upon the wavelength and pulse energy, bleach the dye as it marks the aluminum, making the anodization transparent and thereby reveals the marks on the aluminum underneath. With higher fluence, simultaneous dye bleaching and marking of the aluminum beneath the anodization layer with black, grey scale, or colors presented in previous section is possible.
  • Fig 7 shows a dyed anodized aluminum article with marks made with visible (532 nm) laser pulses. Note that the dye in the anodization is bleached in the areas subjected to laser pulses.
  • Fig 8 shows the same type of dyed anodized aluminum article with marks made with IR (1064 nm) laser pulses. Note that the anodization is not bleached by the IR laser pulses and therefore does not reveal the aluminum color beneath beyond the translucency of the original oxide.
  • Another aspect of this invention relates to laser marking anodized aluminum with colored anodization using picosecond or nanosecond lasers. Since anodization typically forms a porous surface, dyes can be introduced which alter the appearance of the aluminum. These dyes can either be opaque or translucent, allowing varying amounts of incident light to reach the aluminum and be reflected back through the anodization.
  • Fig 7 shows an anodized aluminum article 80 with pink dye in the anodization and an array of marks 82 produced according to an aspect of the instant invention. Colors are created by bleaching the dye in the oxide layer as the aluminum underneath showed native (silver) color to a range of laser- marked colors from shades of tan, to gray and finally black.
  • Fig 9 shows the fluence thresholds in Joules/cm2 for bleaching anodization (Fb), marking aluminum under the anodization (Fu), and surface ablation (Fs).
  • Fb 0.1 J/ cm2
  • Fu 0.13 J/ cm2
  • Fs 0.18 J/cm2.
  • Fig 10 shows the fluence thresholds in Joules/cm2 for 1064 nm (IR) laser pulses with parameters within those given in Tables 1 , 2, and 3.
  • the programmable nature of the adapted laser processing system permits the marking of anodized aluminum articles with commercially desirable marks in patterns.
  • a pattern 110 is converted into a digital representation 112, which is decomposed into a list 114, where each entry 116 in the list 114 contains a representation of a location or locations, with a color and optical density associated with each location.
  • the list 114 is stored in the controller 20.
  • the controller 20 associates laser parameters with each entry 16 in the list 4, which laser parameters, when sent as commands to the laser 10, optics 14 and motion control stage 22 will cause the laser 10 to generate one or more laser pulses 12 which impinge aluminum article 18 at or near the surface 16.
  • These pulses will create a mark with the desired color and optical density.
  • marks of the desired range of colors and optical density are made on the anodized aluminum surface in the desired pattern.
  • colored anodization is patterned over previously patterned marks to present additional colors and optical densities.
  • a grayscale pattern is created on an anodized aluminum article.
  • the article is then coated with a photoresist coating that can be developed by exposure to laser pulses.
  • the grayscale patterned, photoresist coated article is placed into the laser processing system and aligned so that the system can apply laser pulses in registration with the pattern already applied to the article.
  • the photoresist used is a type known as "negative" photoresist, where areas exposed to laser radiation will be removed and the unexposed areas will remain on the article following subsequent processing.
  • This anodization layer is designed to be translucent in order to allow light to pass through the anodization to the pattern below and be reflected back through the anodization and thereby create color patterns with selected color and optical density.
  • This color anodization can also be bleached if necessary using techniques disclosed by other aspects of this invention to create a desired color with desired transparency.
  • This color can be applied over areas of the underlying pattern or applied on a point-by-point basis down to the limits of resolution of the laser system, typically in the 10 to 400 micron range. This operation can be repeated to create multiple color overlays.
  • the anodization color overlay is applied in a multiple color overlay grid, such as Bayer pattern.
  • a durable, commercially desirable full color image can be created on the anodized aluminum article.
  • Figs 12a through 2i show a sequence of steps used to create this color overlay for two colors.
  • an aluminum article 118 has a transparent anodization layer 120 and marks 122 previously applied according to other aspects of this invention.
  • a negative photoresist 124 is applied to the surface of the transparent anodization 120.
  • laser pulses 126 expose areas 128, 130 of the photoresist 124.
  • Fig 12c the unexposed resist 134 remains following resist processing, but the exposed resist has been removed leaving voids 132 in the processed resist layer 134.
  • Fig 12d shows the base anodization layer 120 with sections 136 where the anodization has been dyed with color beneath the voids 132 in the processed resist layer 134.
  • Fig 12e shows the article 118 with base anodization 120 with color portions of anodization 136 in relation to previously applied marks 122 following removal of processed resist.
  • Fig 12f shows an article 1 8 with base anodization 120 including colored portions 136 and a second resist layer 138.
  • Fig 12g shows this second layer of resist 138 impinged by laser pulses 142 to cause area 140 to become exposed.
  • Fig 12h shows the article 118 with base anodization 120 following processing to, dye the anodization beneath the removed resist 140, and removal of the remaining resist 138. This leaves the intact base anodization layer with colored areas 136, 144 over the previously marked areas 122.
  • Fig 12i shows subsequent laser pulses 146 being used to optionally bleach portions of the previously anodized and dyed portions of the aluminum article to create additional desired colors or optical densities.
  • the processing described by this aspect of this invention results in a colored pattern being overlaid over a grayscale pattern, yielding marks with a wide range of durable, commercially desirable colors and optical densities in patterns which are
  • the color anodization may be created on the anodized aluminum article in particular patterns which yield the appearance of full color images when viewed.
  • a pattern which yield the appearance of full color images when viewed.
  • the color dyes are introduced in the manner illustrated in Figs 12a through 12i, except that the pattern with which these dyes are introduced into the base layer of anodization is designed to convert the grayscale representation into full color.
  • An example of such a pattern is a Bayer filter (not shown), which juxtaposes red, green and blue filter elements in a pattern such that the eye perceives the red, green and blue elements fusing into a single color with optical density related to the grayscale mark underneath the color anodization filters, thereby creating the appearance of a full color image or pattern.
  • the resist may be negative or positive resist, and the patterns which expose the resist may be created by masks, such as used in circuit or semiconductor applications, or directly written by an electronic means or directly deposited by technologies such as inkjet or directly ablated by laser.
  • bright, white marks can be applied to anodized aluminum articles using a laser marking system as adapted herein.
  • the laser parameters are selected to very slightly exceed the damage threshold for the anodization layer without causing ablation.
  • this embodiment marks anodized aluminum articles by creating low level damage in the anodization layer without causing the anodization to ablate or otherwise be removed from the surface.
  • Fig 13 shows an anodized article 150 with a white mark 152 created in this manner by an embodiment of this invention.
  • the low level damage comprises a large number of small "micro" cracks in the anodization that diffract light of all wavelengths giving the surface a "frosted" or matte white appearance.
  • the laser parameters used to create bright, white marks on anodized aluminum provide laser fluences that are slightly greater than the damage threshold for the anodization.
  • the laser fluence is selected to be great enough to create micro cracks in the anodization but not great enough to cause enough damage to change the durability or perceptible texture of the article.
  • Table 5 contains laser parameters used to create bright, white marks on an anodized aluminum article as shown in Fig 13.
  • the appearance of the mark can range from slightly frosted to fully opaque, bright white.
  • this embodiment can combine this effect with colored anodization to create a mark with varying degrees of saturation. As the laser fluence increases, a dyed anodization layer will first appear to unsaturate, meaning that the colors appear to be mixed with white.
  • Laser parameters for creating these bright, white marks include using a 355 nm wavelength third harmonic, diode-pumped solid-state Nd:YV0 laser, being a high power pulsed laser emitting energy in the range of 266 to 532 nm.
  • the laser operates at 4 KW, being in the range of 1 KW to 100 KW, or more preferably 1 KW to 12 KW.
  • Laser fluence ranges from about 0.1 X 10 "6 Joules/cm 2 to 100.0
  • Joules/cm 2 or more particularly from 1.0 X 10 "6 Joules/cm 2 to 10.0 Joules/cm 2 .
  • Pulse durations range from 1 ps to 1000 ns, or more preferably from 1 ns to 200 ns.
  • the laser rep rate is in the range froml K Hz to 100 M Hz, or more preferably from 10 KHz to 1 MHz.
  • the speed with which the laser beam moves with respect to the article being marked ranges from 1 mm/s to 10 m/s, or more preferably from 100 mm/s to 1 m/s.
  • the pitch or spacing between adjacent rows of laser pulses on the surface of the article ranges from 1 micron to 1000 microns or more preferably from 10 microns to 100 microns.
  • the spot size of the laser pulses measured at the surface of the article ranges from 10 microns to 1000 microns or more preferably from 50 microns to 500 microns.
  • the location of the focal spot of the laser pulses with respect to the surface of the article ranges from -10 mm to +10 mm or more particularly from 0 to +5 mm.
  • Fig 14 shows a clear anodized aluminum article 160 with three rows of six marks 162 each applied to the surface using laser parameters as listed in Table 5 where the spot size varies from 200 microns in the leftmost column increasing by 60 microns each column to 500 microns in the rightmost column.
  • the pitch, or distance between adjacent lines of laser pulses increases from 10 microns in the top row to 20 microns for the middle row to 50 microns in the bottom row. It can be seen that the brightness of the white marks increases and the transparency decreases with increasing power.
  • Embodiments of this invention mark articles with infrared laser pulses including CO2 lasers.
  • Laser parameters used to successfully mark anodized articles with white marks made by creating alterations in the anodization layer are listed in Table 6.
  • Laser parameters for creating these white marks include using a 10.6 micron wavelength CO2 laser.
  • the laser operates at 75 KW, being in the range of 1 KW to 500 KW, or more preferably 50 KW to 150 KW.
  • Laser fluence ranges from about 1.0 X 0 "6 Joules/cm 2 to 100.0 Joules/cm 2 or more particularly from 1.0 X 10 "6 Joules/cm 2 to 10.0 Joules/cm 2 .
  • Pulse durations range from 1 ns to continuous wave operation, or more preferably from 100 ns to 100 ms.
  • the laser rep rate is in the range fromi K Hz to 1M Hz, or more preferably from 10 KHz to 250 KHz.
  • the speed with which the laser beam moves with respect to the article being marked ranges from 1 mm/s to 10 m/s, or more preferably from 100 mm/s to 1 m/s.
  • the pitch or spacing between adjacent rows of laser pulses on the surface of the article ranges from 1 micron to 1000 microns or more preferably from 10 microns to 100 microns.
  • the spot size of the laser pulses measured at the surface of the article ranges from 10 microns to 1000 microns or more preferably from 50 microns to 500 microns.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
  • Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé permettant de créer une marque (152) avec les propriétés souhaitées sur un spécimen anodisé (150) et sur la marque (152) elle-même. Le procédé comprend les étapes consistant à fournir un système de marquage au laser (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) présentant des paramètres d'impulsion laser réglables, déterminer les paramètres d'impulsion laser associés aux propriétés souhaitées et diriger le système de marquage au laser (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) pour marquer l'article (18) en utilisant les paramètres d'impulsion laser sélectionnés. Les marques au laser (162) ainsi réalisées présentent une densité optique qui s'étend d'une texture transparente à opaque, de couleur blanche, imperceptible par rapport à l'article environnant et une anodisation durable sensiblement intacte (160). L'anodisation (120) peut également être teintée et éventuellement blanchie pour créer d'autres couleurs (136, 144).
EP11860642.5A 2011-03-10 2011-03-10 Procédé et appareil permettant de marquer au laser des articles de manière fiable Withdrawn EP2683519A4 (fr)

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JP (1) JP2014509945A (fr)
KR (3) KR20190095553A (fr)
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CN108262564A (zh) * 2017-01-04 2018-07-10 大族激光科技产业集团股份有限公司 一种激光打标装置及方法
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CN103415370A (zh) 2013-11-27
WO2012121732A1 (fr) 2012-09-13
KR20140008521A (ko) 2014-01-21
KR20190095553A (ko) 2019-08-14
EP2683519A4 (fr) 2015-11-11
CN103415370B (zh) 2016-08-24
KR20180071396A (ko) 2018-06-27
JP2014509945A (ja) 2014-04-24
KR101869435B1 (ko) 2018-06-21

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