JP5178622B2 - Laser processing apparatus and laser processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and a laser processing method for performing processing by irradiating a workpiece with a laser beam.

  With reference to FIG. 5 (A) and (B), the laser processing (multi-axis drilling) by a prior art is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5A is a schematic view showing a multi-axis drilling apparatus using energy branching of a laser. A pulse laser beam 30 is emitted from the laser light source 10 at an oscillation frequency f [kHz]. The pulse laser beam 30 enters the mask 12 via the expander 11 that adjusts the beam diameter, and the beam cross section is shaped. The pulsed laser beam 30 that has passed through the light transmitting region of the mask 12 is branched in multiple axes by the branch mirror 13. This figure shows an example of bifurcation. The pulsed laser beam 30 incident on the branching mirror 13 is divided into pulsed laser beams 30a and 30b that travel different paths, and tube lenses (field lenses) 15a and 15b, galvano scanners 16a and 16b, and an fθ lens 17a, respectively. , 17b, and enters the printed circuit boards 20a and 20b, which are processing objects. Drilling of the printed circuit boards 20a and 20b is performed by irradiation with the pulse laser beams 30a and 30b.

  The processing frequency of the drilling processing of the substrates 20a and 20b is f [kHz], respectively. Further, the pulse energy of the pulse laser beam 30 is divided by the branch mirror 13. For example, when the ratio of transmission and reflection at the branch mirror 13 is 1: 1, the pulse energy of the pulse laser beam 30 after passing through the mask 12 is changed to E [ J], the pulse energy used for processing is E / 2 [J] or less.

  By increasing the pulse width of the laser beam 30, it is possible to secure the pulse energy necessary for processing. However, particularly in processing that requires peak power (a value obtained by dividing the energy of the laser pulse by the pulse width) for which heat effects are to be eliminated, the use of an expensive high-power laser oscillator is required. However, high-power laser oscillators have low stability, and it is difficult to achieve high-quality processing.

  FIG. 5B is a schematic view showing a multi-axis drilling device using time branching. 5A is different from the apparatus shown in FIG. 5A in that an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) is provided instead of the branch mirror 13.

  The AOD 18 is formed using BBO, KTP, LiTaO crystal, Ge single crystal, and the like, and includes, for example, each part of an ultrasonic medium, a transducer, and an ultrasonic absorber. The AOD 18 changes the deflection angle of the incident laser beam 30 by using the Bragg diffraction phenomenon in the ultrasonic medium and changing the frequency (wavelength) of the ultrasonic wave loaded on the AOD 18 by an external control signal. Can do. The incident laser beam 30 when the ultrasonic wave is not loaded passes straight through the AOD 18.

  In the multi-axis drilling device using time branching shown in FIG. 5B, for example, the beam is distributed to the axis for each laser pulse. For example, when a certain laser pulse is distributed to the optical path A, the laser pulse emitted next is distributed to the optical path B, and this is repeated thereafter. For this reason, the processing frequency of the drilling processing of the substrates 20a and 20b is f / 2 [kHz], respectively. In this figure, a device for allocating in two axes is shown, but in a device for allocating to the N axis, the drilling processing frequency is f / N [kHz] per axis.

  In such a multi-axis drilling apparatus, a laser oscillator in which at least the pulse energy and peak power of the laser pulse after passing through the mask 12 is sufficient for processing is required. However, as described above, the high-power laser oscillator is expensive, and it is difficult to realize high-quality processing because of its low stability.

  A processing target in which a surface layer made of a material (for example, copper) in which holes are relatively difficult to be formed by a laser beam is formed on a base member made of a material (for example, resin) in which holes are relatively easily formed by a laser beam. An invention of a laser irradiation apparatus and a laser processing method for performing drilling with high time efficiency on an object (for example, a printed circuit board) has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-132517 A

  The objective of this invention is providing the laser processing apparatus and laser processing method which can process the process target object which consists of several materials from which workability differs.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a first laser light source and a second laser light source that emit a laser beam, and an external control signal that is disposed on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source. The first beam deflector capable of switching between the state of emitting the incident laser beam along the first optical path and the state of emitting the incident laser beam along the second optical path, and the second laser light source Switching between a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the third optical path and a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the fourth optical path is performed by a control signal from the outside, which is disposed on the optical path of the emitted laser beam. And a second beam deflector that can be arranged on two different optical paths among the first to fourth optical paths, and each of the incident laser beams is emitted by rotating the polarization direction of the laser beam by 90 °. The polarization direction changer and the second polarization direction changer are switched between transmitting and reflecting the laser beam according to the polarization state of the incident laser beam, and the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source, A first beam combiner for combining a laser beam emitted from a second laser light source, the laser beam traveling in the optical path in which the first polarization direction changer is disposed, and the second polarization direction The first beam combiner for combining the laser beam traveling in the optical path where the changer is not disposed, and whether the laser beam is transmitted or reflected are switched depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam, and the first beam combiner is switched. A second beam combiner for combining a laser beam emitted from a laser light source and a laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, wherein the second polarization method A laser beam that travels in an optical path in which a direction changer is disposed, and a laser beam that travels in an optical path in which the second polarization direction changer is not disposed, and are not merged by the first beam merger And a second beam combiner for combining the two.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a first laser light source and a second laser light source that emit a laser beam, and an optical path of the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source are arranged from the outside. A first beam deflector capable of switching between a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the first optical path and a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the second optical path, and the second A state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the third optical path and a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the fourth optical path are arranged on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the laser light source and controlled by an external control signal. A second beam deflector that can be switched and two different optical paths among the first to fourth optical paths, and the polarization direction of the incident laser beam is rotated by 90 ° and output. The first polarization direction changer and the second polarization direction changer that switch between transmitting and reflecting the laser beam depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam, and emitting the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source A first beam combiner for combining the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, the laser beam traveling in the optical path in which the first polarization direction changer is disposed, and the second beam combiner A first beam combiner that combines a laser beam traveling in an optical path in which no polarization direction changer is disposed, and whether the laser beam is transmitted or reflected is switched depending on a polarization state of the incident laser beam, A second beam combiner for combining the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, wherein the second beam combiner The laser beam traveling on the optical path where the polarization direction changer is disposed and the laser beam traveling on the optical path where the second polarization direction changer is not disposed, and are not merged by the first beam merger A laser processing method performed using a laser processing apparatus having a second beam combiner that combines a laser beam, wherein: (a) a portion made of a material that is relatively easily processed by the laser beam; and a laser beam A step of preparing first and second objects to be processed, each including a portion made of a material that is relatively difficult to process; (b) a laser beam emitted from the first laser light source; and the second laser light source. A laser beam emitted from the first beam combiner and incident on a portion of the first workpiece that is difficult to process, and (c) before A material in which the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source are merged by the second beam combiner so that the second workpiece is hard to be processed. And (d) one of a laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and a laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, and the first beam combiner. The first workpiece is made incident on a portion made of a material that is easy to be processed, and the other is passed through the second beam combiner, and the second workpiece is easily processed. And a step of causing the laser beam to be incident on a portion made of the same.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the laser processing apparatus and laser processing method which can process the process target consisting of several materials from which workability differs can be provided.

It is the schematic which shows the laser processing apparatus by a 1st Example. (A)-(C) are the figures for demonstrating the laser processing method by an Example, and its effect. It is the schematic which shows the laser processing apparatus by a 2nd Example. It is the schematic which shows the laser processing apparatus by a 3rd Example. (A) And (B) is a figure for demonstrating the laser processing by a prior art.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a laser processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. The laser processing apparatus according to the first embodiment includes laser light sources 10A and 10B, expanders 11A and 11B, masks 12A and 12B, folding mirrors 14a to 14h, tube lenses (field lenses) 15A and 15B, galvano scanners 16A and 16B, fθ lenses 17A and 17B, AODs 18A and 18B, half-wave plates 21B1 and 21B2, polarizing beam splitters (PBS) 22A and 22B, and a stage 40 are included.

  The laser light sources 10A and 10B simultaneously emit linearly polarized pulsed laser beams 30A and 30B that are P-polarized with respect to the PBSs 22A and 22B, for example, at the same frequency f [kHz]. The pulse laser beams 30A and 30B are respectively incident on the AODs 18A and 18B via expanders 11A and 11B that adjust the beam diameter, and masks 12A and 12B that shape the cross-sectional shape of the beam. To do.

  The AOD 18A distributes the pulse laser beam 30A to the optical paths A1 and A2 for each laser pulse in accordance with an external control signal. In the drawing, the pulse laser beams 30A distributed to the optical paths A1 and A2 are shown as pulse laser beams 30A1 and 30A2, respectively. Similarly, the AOD 18B distributes the pulse laser beam 30B to the optical paths B1 and B2 for each laser pulse in accordance with an external control signal. The pulse laser beams 30B distributed to the optical paths B1 and B2 are denoted as pulse laser beams 30B1 and 30B2, respectively. When the pulse laser beam 30A is distributed to the optical path A1 by the AOD 18A, the pulse laser beam 30B is distributed to the optical path B1 by the AOD 18B.

  The pulsed laser beam 30A1 traveling in the optical path A1 is incident on the PBS 22A, which transmits P-polarized light and reflects S-polarized light (whether the laser beam is transmitted or reflected depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam). Transparent. The pulse laser beam 30B1 traveling in the optical path B1 is incident on the half-wave plate 21B1. The half-wave plate 21B1 rotates the polarization direction of the pulse laser beam 30B1 by 90 °. The pulsed laser beam 30B1 emitted from the half-wave plate 21B1 is incident on and reflected as S-polarized light with respect to the PBS 22A via the folding mirrors 14c to 14e arranged as necessary. The pulse laser beam 30A1 that passes through the PBS 22A and the pulse laser beam 30B1 that is reflected by the PBS 22A are superimposed on each other and are emitted from the PBS 22A.

  The pulse laser beam that is superimposed and emitted from the PBS 22A passes through the field lens 15A and enters the galvano scanner 16A. The galvano scanner 16A is configured to include two oscillating mirrors, and can change the emission direction of the pulse laser beam. The pulse laser beam emitted from the galvano scanner 16A is irradiated to the printed circuit board 20A held on the stage 40 through the fθ lens 17A. The fθ lens 17A collects the pulse laser beam on the printed circuit board 20A and makes it incident from the direction perpendicular to the substrate 20A.

  The printed circuit board 20A has a surface layer made of, for example, copper (a material in which holes are relatively difficult to be formed by a laser beam) on a base member made of resin (a material in which holes are relatively easily formed by a laser beam). It is the formed processing object (processing object consisting of a plurality of materials having different processability).

  The pulse laser beam in which the pulse laser beam 30A1 traveling in the optical path A1 and the pulse laser beam 30B1 traveling in the optical path B1 are superimposed is incident on the copper layer of the printed board 20A, and the copper layer is punched.

  Next to the laser pulse distributed to the optical path A1 by the AOD 18A, the laser pulse emitted from the laser light source 10A is distributed to the optical path A2 as a pulse laser beam 30A2. The pulsed laser beam 30A2 is reflected by the folding mirrors 14a and 14b arranged as necessary, and enters and transmits as P-polarized light with respect to the PBS 22B. On the other hand, the laser pulse emitted from the laser light source 10B after the laser pulse distributed to the optical path B1 by the AOD 18B is distributed to the optical path B2 as a pulse laser beam 30B2. The pulse laser beam 30B2 passes through the half-wave plate 21B2, so that the polarization direction is rotated by 90 °, and enters and is reflected as S-polarized light with respect to the PBS 22B. The pulse laser beam 30A2 that passes through the PBS 22B and the pulse laser beam 30B2 that is reflected by the PBS 22B are superimposed on each other and emitted from the PBS 22B.

  The pulse laser beam superimposed and emitted from the PBS 22B is irradiated to the printed circuit board 20B held on the stage 40 through the field lens 15B, the galvano scanner 16B, and the fθ lens 17B.

  The printed board 20B is a processed board having a laminated structure equal to the printed board 20A, for example. The pulse laser beam in which the pulse laser beam 30A2 traveling in the optical path A2 and the pulse laser beam 30B2 traveling in the optical path B2 are superimposed is incident on the copper layer of the printed board 20B, and the copper layer is punched.

  Until the through holes are formed in the copper layer, the pulsed laser beams 30A and 30B emitted from the laser light sources 10A and 10B are superimposed and irradiated onto the printed boards 20A and 20B, for example, alternately. The processing frequency of the copper layer drilling of the printed circuit boards 20A and 20B is f / 2 [kHz], respectively. Further, if the pulse energy of the laser beams 30A1, 30A2, 30B1, and 30B2 after distribution by the AODs 18A and 18B is E [J], the pulse energy of one superimposed laser pulse used for processing is 2E [J]. . Note that a through hole is usually formed in the copper layer by one shot of superimposed laser pulses.

  After the copper layer has been drilled, the resin layer is drilled. In processing the resin layer, the pulse laser beam 30A emitted from the laser light source 10A is distributed to the optical path A1, and the pulse laser beam 30B emitted from the laser light source 10B is distributed to the optical path B2. The pulse laser beam 30A emitted from the laser light source 10A may be distributed to the optical path A2, and the pulse laser beam 30B emitted from the laser light source 10B may be distributed to the optical path B1. In the former case, the processing of the resin layer of the printed circuit board 20A by the pulsed laser beam 30A emitted from the laser light source 10A and the processing of the resin layer of the printed circuit board 20B by the pulsed laser beam 30B emitted from the laser light source 10B are performed simultaneously. Implemented in parallel. In the latter case, the processing of the resin layer of the printed circuit board 20B by the pulse laser beam 30A and the processing of the resin layer of the printed circuit board 20A by the pulse laser beam 30B are performed in parallel. The pulse laser beams 30A and 30B are incident on the exposed resin layer portion after the copper layer is removed.

  Until the through holes are formed in the resin layers of the printed boards 20A and 20B, the pulse laser beams 30A and 30B emitted from the laser light sources 10A and 10B are irradiated to the resin layers of the printed boards 20A and 20B. The processing frequency of the resin layer drilling processing of the printed boards 20A and 20B is f [kHz], respectively. Further, when the pulse energy of the laser beams 30A1, 30A2, 30B1, and 30B2 after passing through the AODs 18A and 18B is E [J], the pulse energy of one shot laser pulse used for processing is E [J]. Note that through holes are usually formed in the resin layer with a plurality of shots of laser pulses.

  According to the laser processing apparatus of the first embodiment, when processing a material having poor workability and requiring high peak power or energy for processing, the laser beams emitted from a plurality of laser light sources are superimposed and irradiated. However, when processing a material having good workability, it is possible to perform laser processing that irradiates only a laser beam emitted from one laser light source. For this reason, it is possible to process a material with poor processability using a low peak power laser oscillator, and it is possible to process a processing object made of a plurality of materials with different processability with high efficiency.

  In addition, since the laser processing apparatus according to the first embodiment can use an inexpensive laser oscillator with low peak power, the apparatus can be configured at low cost.

  Furthermore, a laser oscillator with a low peak power has high stability. Therefore, good quality processing can be performed using the laser processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  Further, according to the laser processing apparatus of the first embodiment, for example, as shown by the thick lines in FIG. 2A, the first shot laser pulse emitted from each of the two laser light sources 10A and 10B is superimposed. As shown by a thick line in FIG. 2B, a hole is made in the copper layer of one substrate 20A, and a second shot laser pulse is superimposed to make a hole in the copper layer of the other substrate 20B. As shown in bold lines in (C), the third and subsequent laser pulses emitted from the laser light source 10A are applied to the resin layer of the substrate 20A, and the third and subsequent laser pulses emitted from the laser light source 10B are applied to the resin layer of the substrate 20B. In addition, it is possible to implement a laser processing method in which holes are made in the resin layers of the respective substrates 20A and 20B by being incident in parallel. Laser pulses having different peak powers and energies can be incident on the object to be processed through the same path from the same optical axis, so that the object to be processed is not moved until the processing of the two substrates 20A and 20B is completed (stage 40). Can be processed without moving Further, after making a hole in the copper layer and the resin layer at one laser pulse irradiation position, for example, as shown by a dotted line in FIGS. 2A to 2C, laser pulses are applied to different positions using a galvano scanner. By making the light incident, all holes in the printed circuit boards 20A and 20B can be processed without moving the stage.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a laser processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the half-wave plates are disposed on the optical paths B1 and B2. However, in the second embodiment, the half-wave plates are disposed on the optical paths A2 and B1.

  Also in the second embodiment, the pulse laser beam 30A1 distributed to the optical path A1 by the AOD 18A and the pulse laser beam 30B1 distributed to the optical path B1 by the AOD 18B are superimposed on the PBS 22A and enter the printed circuit board 20A. Thus, the copper layer drilling of the substrate 20A is performed. Further, the pulse laser beam 30A2 distributed to the optical path A2 and the pulse laser beam 30B2 distributed to the optical path B2 are superimposed on the PBS 22B and incident on the printed circuit board 20B, so that the copper layer drilling of the substrate 20B is performed. Done.

  The resin layers of the printed boards 20A and 20B are processed using laser pulses with low peak power and low energy without superimposing the laser beam. When a laser pulse emitted from one of the laser light sources 10A and 10B is incident on one resin layer of the substrates 20A and 20B, the laser pulse emitted from the other of the laser light sources 10A and 10B is changed to the other resin of the substrates 20A and 20B. Make it incident on the layer.

  The effect of the laser processing apparatus according to the second embodiment is the same as that according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a laser processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. In the first and second embodiments, the pulse laser beams 30A and 30B are distributed in two different directions depending on the AODs 18A and 18B, respectively. In the third embodiment, the pulse laser beams 30A and 30B are distributed in four different directions. That is, the third embodiment is a laser processing apparatus capable of processing four objects on four axes.

  The AOD 18A distributes the pulse laser beam 30A emitted from the laser light source 10A to any one of the optical paths A1 to A4 for each laser pulse, and emits it. Similarly, the AOD 18B emits the pulse laser beam 30B emitted from the laser light source 10B to any one of the optical paths B1 to B4 for each laser pulse. The optical elements arranged on the optical paths A1, A2, B1, B2 are equal to those in the second embodiment. The optical elements arranged on the optical paths A3, A4, B3, and B4 are equal to those arranged on the optical paths A2, A1, B2, and B1, respectively.

  In the third embodiment, the pulse laser beam 30A1 distributed to the optical path A1 by the AOD 18A and the pulse laser beam 30B1 distributed to the optical path B1 by the AOD 18B are superimposed on the PBS 22A1 and incident on the printed circuit board 20A. Thus, the copper layer drilling of the substrate 20A is performed. Further, the pulse laser beam 30A2 distributed to the optical path A2 and the pulse laser beam 30B2 distributed to the optical path B2 are superimposed on the PBS 22B1 and incident on the printed circuit board 20B, so that the copper layer drilling of the substrate 20B is performed. Done.

  In addition, the pulse laser beam 30A3 distributed to the optical path A3 by the AOD 18A and the pulse laser beam 30B3 distributed to the optical path B3 by the AOD 18B are superimposed on the PBS 22B2 and incident on the printed circuit board 20C. Copper layer drilling is performed. Further, the pulse laser beam 30A4 distributed to the optical path A4 and the pulse laser beam 30B4 distributed to the optical path B4 are superimposed on the PBS 22A2 and incident on the printed circuit board 20D, so that the copper layer drilling of the substrate 20D is performed. Done.

  Therefore, when processing the copper layer of the substrate 20A, the AOD 18A is controlled to emit the laser beam 30A along the optical path A1, and the AOD 18B is set to emit the laser beam 30B along the optical path B1. Control. Similarly, when processing the copper layers of the substrates 20B, 20C, and 20D, the AOD 18A is controlled to emit the laser beam 30 along the optical paths A2, A3, and A4, respectively, and the AOD 18B is controlled to the optical path B2, The laser beam 30B is controlled to be emitted along B3 and B4.

  The processing frequency of the copper layer drilling processing of the printed boards 20A to 20D is f / 4 [kHz] when the oscillation frequency of the laser light sources 10A and 10B is f [kHz]. Further, if the pulse energy of the laser beams 30A1 to 30A4 and 30B1 to 30B4 after passing through the AODs 18A and 18B is E [J], the pulse energy of one shot superposed laser pulse used for processing is 2E [J].

  Processing of the resin layers of the printed boards 20A to 20D is performed without superimposing the laser beam. When the laser pulse α emitted from one of the laser light sources 10A and 10B is incident on one of the resin layers of the substrates 20A to 20D, the laser pulse β emitted from the other of the laser light sources 10A and 10B is applied to the substrates 20A to 20D. Of the resin layer, the laser pulse α is incident on the resin layer of the substrate on which the laser pulse α is not incident. The processing frequency of the resin layer perforation processing of the printed boards 20A to 20D is f / 2 [kHz], respectively. The pulse energy of one shot laser pulse used for processing is E [J].

  Since the laser processing apparatus according to the third embodiment performs processing of four processing objects (printed boards 20A to 20D) in parallel, the time processing efficiency is higher than that of the laser processing apparatuses according to the first and second embodiments. It is possible to process with. Other effects are the same as the effects produced by the laser processing apparatuses according to the first and second embodiments.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated along the Example, this invention is not limited to these.

  For example, in the embodiment, an AOD is used as a beam deflector, but an electro-optic deflector or the like may be used instead of the AOD.

    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other various modifications, improvements, combinations, and the like are possible.

  The present invention can be used for processing a processing object composed of a plurality of materials having different processability such as a printed board.

10, 10A, 10B Laser light source 11, 11A, 11B Expander 12, 12A, 12B Mask 13 Branch mirror 14, 14a-14l Folding mirror 15a, 15b, 15A-15D Tube lens (field lens)
16a, 16b, 16A-16D Galvano scanners 17a, 17b, 17A-17D fθ lenses 18, 18A, 18B AOD
20a, 20b, 20A-20D Substrate 21A2, 21A3, 21B1, 21B2, 21B4 Half-wave plate 22A, 22A1, 22A2, 22B, 22B1, 22B2 PBS
30, 30a, 30b, 30A, 30A1-30A4, 30B, 30B1-30B4 Laser beam 40, 40A, 40B Stage

Claims (4)

A first laser light source and a second laser light source for emitting a laser beam;
The laser beam is arranged on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source, and the incident laser beam is emitted along the first optical path and emitted along the second optical path by a control signal from the outside. A first beam deflector that can be switched between
The laser beam is disposed on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, and the incident laser beam is emitted along the third optical path and emitted along the fourth optical path by an external control signal. A second beam deflector that can be switched between
A first polarization direction changer and a second polarization are arranged on two different optical paths among the first to fourth optical paths, and output by rotating the polarization direction of the incident laser beam by 90 °, respectively. A direction changer,
Depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam, transmission or reflection of the laser beam is switched, and a laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and a laser beam emitted from the second laser light source are merged. A laser beam that travels in an optical path in which the first polarization direction changer is disposed, and a laser beam that travels in an optical path in which the second polarization direction changer is not disposed. A first beam combiner to be merged;
Depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam, transmission or reflection of the laser beam is switched, and a laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and a laser beam emitted from the second laser light source are merged. A laser beam traveling on an optical path where the second polarization direction changer is disposed and a laser beam traveling on an optical path where the second polarization direction changer is not disposed. And a second beam combiner that combines the laser beams that are not combined by the first beam combiner. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second beam combiners are polarization beam splitters. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second beam deflectors are acousto-optic deflectors. A first laser light source and a second laser light source that emit a laser beam and an optical path of the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source are arranged on the basis of an external control signal. A first beam deflector capable of switching between a state of emitting along the second optical path and a state of emitting along the second optical path, and an optical path of the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source A second beam deflector capable of switching between a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the third optical path and a state in which the incident laser beam is emitted along the fourth optical path, according to an external control signal; A first polarization direction changer and a first polarization direction changer which are arranged on two different optical paths among the first to fourth optical paths and emit by rotating the polarization direction of the incident laser beam by 90 °; Depending on the polarization state of the incident laser beam, whether the laser beam is transmitted or reflected is switched, and the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the second laser light source are emitted. A first beam combiner for combining a laser beam, wherein the laser beam travels in an optical path in which the first polarization direction changer is disposed, and an optical path in which the second polarization direction changer is not disposed And a laser beam emitted from the first laser light source, and a first beam combiner that combines the laser beam that travels through the laser beam and a laser beam that is transmitted or reflected is switched depending on a polarization state of the incident laser beam. A second beam combiner for combining the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source, wherein the second polarization direction changer is disposed. And a second beam that joins a laser beam that travels in an optical path where the second polarization direction changer is not disposed and that is not merged by the first beam merger A laser processing method performed using a laser processing apparatus having a merger,
(A) preparing first and second workpieces including a portion made of a material relatively easy to be processed by a laser beam and a portion made of a material relatively hard to be processed by a laser beam;
(B) The laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source are merged by the first beam combiner, and the first workpiece is processed. A step of entering a portion made of a material that is difficult to process;
(C) The laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source are merged by the second beam merger, and the second workpiece to be processed A step of entering a portion made of a material that is difficult to process;
(D) One of the laser beam emitted from the first laser light source and the laser beam emitted from the second laser light source is converted into the first processing through the first beam combiner. And making the other incident on the portion of the second object to be processed, which is made of a material easy to be processed, through the second beam combiner. A laser processing method.

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