JP2003119044A - Machining method and machining device for quartz by laser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art, for example, to eliminate the need for a technique considered indispensable in machining of the quartz for which a diamond tool or IR laser is hitherto used and to permit fine machining (<=1 mm) which is heretofore infeasible and to make the further application of the quartz frequently utilized for industry possible. SOLUTION: The laser beam machining method of subjecting the quartz glass or quartz crystal to machining, such as perforating, cutting-off or grooving, by using a UV laser of regions off near UV and far UV below a wavelength 335 nm and the machining device for the quartz by the laser comprising a laser oscillator 3, beam expander 4, aperture 11, reflection mirror 5, homogeneizer 6, imagery lens 7, laser reflector 8, and X-Y-Z table 9.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to 100% silicic acid content produced by a melting method or a synthesis method using only high-purity quartz as a raw material using an ultraviolet laser having a wavelength of 355 nm or less in the near-ultraviolet or far-ultraviolet region. The present invention relates to a quartz glass excellent in ultraviolet ray transmissivity, a laser processing method such as punching, cutting or grooving a crystal and a laser processing apparatus used therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a conventional quartz processing method is one in which a diamond tool or an infrared laser is used. However, there are some problems and it is a hindrance to widening the scope of application of quartz. It was

What is processed by using a laser is a method of processing quartz without contact, concentrating temporally and spatially by utilizing the high energy property, high efficiency, condensing property and directivity of the laser. Also, depending on the oscillation wavelength, excimer lasers and nitrogen lasers were also used.

[0004]

In the processing of quartz, a diamond tool or an infrared laser was used for processing. However, pre-processing is necessary, or fine processing (1 mm or less) cannot be performed. There were problems, and these improvements were needed.

In processing quartz with a diamond tool,
Pre-processing is required. Lubricant must be used to reduce friction. Processing speed is slow and takes time. Since lubricating oil is used, cleaning with an organic solvent is required. The tool wears and needs to be replaced regularly. Fine (1 mm or less) drilling is not possible. Fine (1 mm or less) groove processing is not possible. There were problems such as.

In the processing of quartz by an infrared laser,
Pre-processing is required. Cannot process thin plates. Fine (1 mm or less) drilling is not possible.
Micro cracks appear. The plate is warped due to heat processing, and it cannot be processed in close proximity. Post-treatment required. There were problems such as.

As a problem to solve the problems of the prior art, fine (1 mm or less) groove processing, fine (1 mm or less) drilling, processing in which an object to be processed does not warp, processing in a close place, thin There has been a long-awaited technology that enables easy and precise laser processing such as plate processing and cutting.

[0008]

The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, eliminates the need for pre-processing, and provides fine (1 m
laser processing quartz processing equipment and quartz processing equipment that can perform groove processing, hole processing, cutting, etc., and can process objects that do not warp, processing in close proximity, thin plate processing, etc. Is provided.

The method of processing quartz by the laser of the present invention is as follows.
In the processing of quartz by a laser for processing the object 1 to be processed by irradiating the object to be processed 2 with an ultraviolet laser L in the near-ultraviolet or far-ultraviolet region having a wavelength of 355 nm or less, the laser oscillator 3 and the surface to be processed are used. 2, a beam expander 4, an aperture 11, a reflection mirror 5, a homogenizer 6, and an imaging lens 7 are arranged, and a laser reflector 8 is arranged below the object 1 to be processed, and the ultraviolet laser having a wavelength of 355 nm or less is used. For L, the workpiece 1 and the laser reflector 8
XYZ table 9 for moving the
Processing is performed by irradiating the surface 2 to be processed of the processing object 1 with focused laser light L of m or less, moving the XYZ table 9 and moving the focused light.

The ultraviolet laser L used in the present invention is limited to near ultraviolet and far ultraviolet regions having an oscillation wavelength of 355 nm or less, but the oscillation wavelength is limited to 400 nm.

In the ultraviolet laser L oscillated through the beam expander 4, unnecessary ultraviolet laser light is cut by the aperture 11.

A laser processing apparatus 10 for quartz according to the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, a beam expander 4 is provided in front of a laser oscillator 3 that oscillates an ultraviolet laser L, and an aperture 11 and a reflection mirror 5 are interposed between the beam expander 4 and a homogenizer 6. Let the reflection mirror 5
Is disposed at a corner on the optical path bent so that the ultraviolet laser L is reflected in the direction of the homogenizer 6, an image-forming lens 7 is arranged in front of the homogenizer 6, and laser reflection is provided below the image-forming lens 7. An XYZ table 9 on which the object 8 is placed is movably installed, and the object 1 to be processed is laser-reflected 8
The laser oscillator 3, the beam expander 4, the aperture 11, the reflecting mirror 5, the homogenizer 6, the image forming lens 7, the laser reflector 8, and the XY for mounting and processing on the above.
It is composed of a Z table 9.

The processing method will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The processing is performed by placing a laser reflector 8 which reflects an ultraviolet laser on the lower side of the object 1 to be processed. At this time,
The workpiece 1 and the laser reflector 8 may or may not be in contact with each other.

Further, the work surface 2 of the work 1 is 35
Even when transmitting the 5 nm ultraviolet laser L, the object 1 can be processed by the surface reflection of the laser reflector 8.

The surface 2 to be machined of the object 1 can be machined either on a transparent surface or on a "plain" surface having fine irregularities such as pear skin.

Since the amount of reflection may be several percent, if quartz glass is used, the quartz glass to be processed is processed, but the quartz glass for reflection is not processed. Therefore, the quartz glass for reflection can be repeatedly used. is there.

Since the principle of laser ablation itself has not been clarified in detail, it is not clear why machining is possible due to this phenomenon, but from a physical viewpoint, incident light and reflected light collide with the surface of the object to be processed. Causes the light energy to be temporarily concentrated there.

It is expected that heat will be generated by the energy, and that part will block the transmission of light and ablation (wear) will start.

At the same time, it seems that the melting phenomenon due to thermal energy also promotes ablation.

Therefore, the laser repetition frequency is 300
It seems that a pulse width of 100 Hz or more and a pulse width of 100 ns or less is required.

This processing method will be referred to as a thermal laser ablation method (thermal laser abrasion method) here.

As an embodiment of the invention, there is a quartz glass (both the melting method and the synthesizing method) and a quartz crystal processing and processing apparatus using a thermal laser ablation method.

[0023]

According to the present invention, in addition to eliminating the drawbacks of the prior art, there is no need for pre-processing, and fine (1 mm or less) drilling, cutting and grooving are possible.

Further, it has become possible to realize processing without warping the object to be processed.

Further, it is needless to say that it is possible to perform processing at a place close to each other, and it is possible to process a thin plate.

Since the method and apparatus for processing quartz by the laser of the present invention can be provided, further application of quartz, which is frequently used in industry, becomes possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a quartz processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a working example of an object to be processed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Object to be processed 2: Surface to be processed 3: Laser oscillator 4: Beam expander 5: Reflection mirror 6: Homogenizer 7: Imaging lens 8: Laser reflector 9: XYZ table 10: Processing device 11: Aperture L: UV laser

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laser oscillator and a surface to be processed in quartz processing by a laser for processing an object to be processed by irradiating the object to be processed with an ultraviolet laser having a wavelength of 355 nm or less in the near-ultraviolet or far-ultraviolet region. A beam expander, an aperture, a reflection mirror, a homogenizer, an imaging lens, etc. are arranged between the two, and a laser reflector is arranged below the object to be processed, and for the ultraviolet laser having a wavelength of 355 nm or less,
An XYZ table that moves an object to be processed and a laser reflection object is provided, and an ultraviolet laser having a wavelength of 355 nm or less is focused and irradiated on the surface to be processed of the object to be processed, and the XYZ table is moved to move the focused light. A quartz processing method using a laser, which is characterized in that: 2. A beam expander is provided in front of a laser oscillator for oscillating an ultraviolet laser, and an aperture and a reflecting mirror are interposed between the beam expander and the homogenizer, and the reflecting mirror is a homogenizer of the ultraviolet laser. Is arranged at a corner on the optical path bent so as to be reflected in the direction of, and an imaging lens is arranged in front of the homogenizer, and an XYZ table on which a laser reflector is placed is moved below the imaging lens. A laser composed of a laser oscillator, a beam expander, an aperture, a reflection mirror, a homogenizer, an imaging lens, a laser reflector, and an XYZ table, which can be freely installed and placed on a laser reflector for processing. Quartz processing equipment.