JPH04271035A - Auxiliary device for adjustment of optical axis - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the adjustment of an optical axis, to shorten an adjustment time and to improve reproducibility at the time of exchanging laser source, etc. CONSTITUTION:A positioning pinhole 4 is formed separately form a main body 3 and positioned at a transparent part 5 having a large diameter at the time of adjustment, and the optical axis is adjusted by using an adjustment hole 7 having a small diameter. After adjustment, by removing the positioning pinhole 4 from the main body 3, even if the main body is fixedly left on a surface plate 1 as it is, laser beam is not shielded and the laser is usable without hindrance, and when the adjustment of the optical axis is needed again, the positioning pinhole 4 is fitted on the main body 3.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure optical system of an optical disk master exposure machine, and more particularly to an optical axis adjustment auxiliary device applied to optical experiments such as an optical interference system.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, the exposure optical system of an optical disk master exposure machine is required to accurately adjust and maintain its optical axis. Therefore, for example, when repairing or replacing an adjusted optical system by removing the argon ion laser, which is the light source, from the optical system by replacing the tube, etc., and then reattaching the argon ion laser to the optical system, the optical system should not be adjusted. There is a method in which the argon ion laser itself is moved to adjust the light passing through each optical element to have the highest efficiency.

As another method, when the argon ion laser is once removed from the optical system and then reinstalled, there is also a system in which the adjusted optical system itself is completely removed from the optical path and reassembled from the beginning.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the case of the former method, since there is no optical axis that serves as a reference, it is difficult to know the direction and amount of adjustment (distance) in which the argon ion laser itself is adjusted, making it difficult to obtain accurate exposure. It is difficult to reproduce the optical system. Furthermore, since the adjustment work is a process of trial and error, it takes a long time for master exposure machines with complicated exposure optical system configurations, resulting in significant downtime when replacing the argon ion laser.

[0005] In addition, in the latter case, since it is the same as assembling from the beginning, it takes more time than the former method.
It becomes difficult to reproduce accurately, and it becomes necessary to change the exposure conditions after replacing the laser tube.

[0006]

[Means for solving the problem] A main body having a transparent part,
A positioning pinhole was formed separately from the main body and disposed in the transparent portion. In this case, the transparent portion was formed to be sufficiently larger than the beam diameter of the laser beam, and the positioning pinhole was formed to be smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam. Further, the main body is fixed to the surface plate of the optical system to be adjusted, and the positioning pinhole is selectively arranged in the transparent part of the main body. Furthermore, two bodies are separately arranged in each target optical path of the optical system to be adjusted.

[0007]

[Operation] After adjusting the optical axis of the target optical system using the positioning pinhole, if this positioning pinhole is positioned outside the light-transmitting part of the main body, for example by removing it, the main body can be adjusted to the target optical system. It can be left in the system as it is, and if the need arises to adjust the optical axis again, simply place the positioning pinhole on the transparent part of the positioned body and perform the adjustment work. Can be easily and accurately reproduced. In particular, by forming the transparent part sufficiently larger than the beam diameter of the laser beam and forming the positioning pinhole smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam, more accurate optical axis adjustment is possible, and the optical system can be easily adjusted. The transparent portion at the time has sufficient margin for the laser beam. In addition, by arranging two bodies separately in each target optical path of the optical system to be adjusted, it is not only necessary to adjust the optical axis of the laser light source, but also to replace optical parts such as lenses and mirrors. Even in such a case, adjustment can be easily made by setting a positioning pinhole in the main body in the target optical path.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 shows the gist of the optical axis adjustment auxiliary device of this embodiment. For example, a main body 3 is positioned and fixed at a predetermined position on a surface plate 1 of an optical system to be adjusted by screws 2, etc.; It is comprised of a positioning pinhole 4 that is removably attached to the holder. Here,
At a predetermined position of the main body 3, there is a light transmitting hole 5 as a transmitting part formed through the body 3 with a diameter sufficiently large for the beam diameter of the laser beam used in the optical system to be adjusted, and the positioning pinhole 4 is inserted and removed without a gap. An engagement groove 6 is formed which can be freely positioned at the position of the transparent hole 5. An adjustment hole 7 having a diameter smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam is formed through the positioning pinhole 4 .

In such a configuration, when attempting to actually adjust the optical axis, as shown in FIG. Then, a positioning pinhole 4 is set in each main body 3. Next, the laser light source 8 may be adjusted using the adjustment member 10 so that the laser light 9 emitted from the laser light source 8 passes through the adjustment holes 7 of the two positioning pinholes 4. At this time, if the power meter 11 receives the laser beam 9 that has passed through the two adjustment holes 7 and adjusts the laser light source 8 so that the amount of received light is maximized, it is possible to check not only by visual inspection but also by the amount of light. Confirmation is also possible, making adjustment easy and accurate.

If the positioning pinhole 4 remains in the state at the time of adjustment, it will block the laser beam 9, making it impossible to use it for its intended purpose, but after the adjustment work is completed, the positioning pinhole 4 will be inserted into the main body 3 If you remove it from
Since the laser beam 9 is not blocked, it can be used without any problem. Of course, there would be no problem if the main body 3 was also removed, but since the main body 3 is positioned and fixed without interfering with normal operation, it is necessary to replace the tube of the laser light source 8 afterwards. Once the laser light source 8 is removed from the optical system, when reassembling it, simply
By simply attaching the positioning pinhole 4 to the lens and adjusting the optical axis as described above, there is no need to adjust the optical system.
The optical axis position before replacement can be accurately reproduced.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example in which the optical system of an optical disk master exposure machine is applied as the optical system to be adjusted. This optical system 12 to be adjusted basically consists of a laser beam 1 emitted from a laser light source 13 which is an argon ion laser.
Reference numeral 4 indicates a general method in which the resist plate 15 on the surface of the glass master is irradiated and exposed. First, the laser beam 14 emitted from the laser light source 13 is deflected by the mirror 16, then divided and deflected by the mirrors 17a and 17b, passes through the lenses 18a and 18b, and then passes through the A/O modulators 19a and 19.
b, and furthermore, lenses 20a, 20b, mirror 2
1a, 21b, lenses 22a, 22b, lenses 23a,
23b and mirrors 24a and 24b, the resist plate 15
The light is deflected toward the side, focused by a common objective lens 25 to a diameter on the submicron order, and irradiated onto the resist plate 15 .

In such an optical system 12 to be adjusted, a plurality of main bodies 3 are arranged and fixed in pairs in each part. Specifically, two target optical paths are provided as a unit, for example, in the optical path between the laser light source 13 and the mirror 16, in the optical path before and after the mirror 17a, in the optical path before and after the mirror 21a, etc. The main body 3 is arranged in one set. As a result, if the mirror 17b is to be replaced, for example, a positioning pinhole 4 is set in each of the two main bodies 3 placed before and after the optical path where the mirror 17b is located, so that the optical axis is aligned with each other. It is only necessary to adjust and attach the mirror 17b so that it passes through the adjustment hole 7, making it easy to replace and adjust the mirror 17b. The same applies to other parts such as mirrors and lenses.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. In the embodiment described above, the adjustment hole 7 was selectively located at the position of the transparent hole 5 by sliding the positioning pinhole 4 detachably with respect to the main body 3. A positioning pinhole 26 formed in a strip is rotatably attached to the main body 3 by a shaft 27, and in addition to an adjustment hole 7 smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam, a transparent hole 28 with the same diameter as the transparent hole 5 form,
During adjustment, the adjusting hole 7 is positioned at the transparent hole 5 position as shown in the figure, but after the adjustment is completed, the positioning pinhole 26 is rotated so that the transparent hole 28 is positioned at the transparent hole 5 position. It is something that According to this example, the positioning pinhole 26 can always be attached to the main body 3, and there is no fear of losing it.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, an iris diaphragm-shaped positioning pinhole 29 is attached to the transparent hole position of the main body 3, and the lever 30
Depending on the operation, the adjustment hole 31 can be made smaller to be smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam, as shown in FIG.

[0015]

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, as described above, the positioning pinhole is formed separately from the main body, so after adjusting the optical axis of the target optical system using the positioning pinhole, the positioning pinhole can be By positioning the main body outside the light-transmitting part by removal or other methods, the main body can be left in the target optical system as it is, and if the need for optical axis adjustment arises again later, the main body can be easily positioned. Adjustments can be made by positioning the pinhole on the transparent part of the main body, and the optical axis position can be easily and accurately reproduced. In particular, if the transparent part is sufficiently larger than the beam diameter of the laser beam, The positioning pinhole is made smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam, making it possible to adjust the optical axis more accurately, and the transparent part has sufficient margin for the laser beam when using the optical system. In addition, two main bodies are placed separately in each target optical path of the optical system to be adjusted, so it is not only necessary to adjust the optical axis of the laser light source, but also to replace optical parts such as lenses and mirrors. Even in such a case, adjustment can be easily made by setting a positioning pinhole in the main body in the target optical path.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a partially cutaway side view.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the principle of optical axis adjustment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of application to an optical disc master exposure machine.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a partially cutaway side view.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1　　　　　　　Surface plate 3 Main body 4 Positioning pinhole 5 Transparent part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An optical axis adjustment auxiliary device comprising: a main body having a light-transmitting portion; and a positioning pinhole formed separately from the main body and disposed in the light-transmitting portion. 2. The optical axis adjustment aid according to claim 1, wherein the transparent portion is formed to be sufficiently larger than the beam diameter of the laser beam, and the positioning pinhole is formed to be smaller than the beam diameter of the laser beam. Device. 3. The main body is fixed to a surface plate of the optical system to be adjusted, and the positioning pinhole is selectively arranged with respect to the transparent part of the main body. Optical axis adjustment auxiliary device. 4. The optical axis adjustment auxiliary device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that two main bodies are arranged separately in each target optical path of the optical system to be adjusted.