JPS61193797A - Laser beam processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make possible the processing of a large area by irradiating adjacently the beams outputted from plural pieces of laser generating sources on a work by using a prim or reflection mirror, etc. CONSTITUTION:The laser beam 5, 6 outputted from two pieces of the laser generating sources are made incident to the slopes of the prism 7 from different routes and are vertically refracted downward by the prism 7, by which the beams are passed through the prism 7. The two beams 5, 6 have consequently one large irradiation pattern 8, 9 by contacting with each other. The energy density of the laser beam having a rectangular section is decreased at the end part. The laser beams are so disposed as to intersect the hypotenuse of a trapezoidal shape in the case of disposing such beams side. The processing to a large area is thus made possible even if a laser generating source of a high output is not used.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to improvements in laser processing equipment.

[Conventional technology]

In order to mark a workpiece using a laser beam, a method as shown in FIG. 4 has conventionally been used. In other words, when a laser beam (1) having a square or rectangular cross section is irradiated onto a mask (2) cut out in the shape to be engraved, the laser beam passes through the cut out part of the mask (2) containing the characters or symbols. Lower workpiece (3
), a pattern similar to that of the mask (2) is imprinted on the surface of the workpiece (3) by the thermal action of the laser beam. The size of the characters and symbols engraved at this time may be the same as that of mask (2),
It may also be reduced or enlarged using another optical component.

Further, the laser beam (1) used in the apparatus is usually a pulsed beam, and one workpiece is often engraved by one pulse of irradiation.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, since the conventional laser processing apparatus is configured as described above, when making a larger marking, it is necessary to expand the beam, and as a result, the energy density of the beam reaching the workpiece becomes smaller. Therefore, one problem with this type of laser processing apparatus is that a high-output laser source is required when making a large engraving.

The present invention was made to solve this problem.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing device that is capable of engraving large areas and other processing without using a high-power laser source.

[Means for solving problems]

In the laser processing bag, a plurality of laser sources are used to generate laser beams having a square or rectangular cross section, and the plurality of laser beams are irradiated onto the workpiece in contact with each other.

[For production]

Since a plurality of laser beams are simultaneously irradiated onto the workpiece in a pulsed or continuous manner, it is possible to process a large area even if the output of each laser beam is small.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof. In the figure, (3) is the workpiece, (5), (6)
are two laser beams with square or rectangular cross sections output from two laser sources, (7) is a prism, (
In 8), the irradiation pattern (9) by the laser beam (5) is that by the laser beam (6).

In the figure, laser beams (5), +6> output from two laser sources pass through a prism (
1), is refracted vertically downward by the prism (7), and exits the prism (7). Therefore, the two laser beams (5) and (6) have one large irradiation pattern f8) and (9) adjacent to each other, and the workpiece (3) has one large irradiation pattern f8) and (9).
), the irradiation area is twice as large as that of If the output of each of the two laser sources is the maximum that can be manufactured, and when processing twice the area using the same energy density, a new laser source with twice the output is required. However, the present invention eliminates the need to develop a high-output laser source by irradiating two conventional laser beams in parallel.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment which is a further improvement of the above embodiment. The energy density of a conventional laser beam with a rectangular cross section decreases at the ends, as shown in (a), resulting in an energy density distribution close to a trapezoid. By arranging the two laser beams so that the hypotenuses of the trapezoid intersect in the middle, an average energy density can be obtained over the entire beam, as shown in FIG. 6(b).

Furthermore, although the above embodiment is an example of two laser beams, six laser beams are used.
It may be more than one.

Further, although the above example is an example of a processing apparatus for the purpose of marking, it is effective in all cases where a wide area is simultaneously processed by photochemical reactions such as exposure, etching, and CvD.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention is a laser processing apparatus that is configured to irradiate a workpiece with a plurality of square or rectangular cross-section laser beams output from a plurality of laser sources, so that a high-power laser is generated. This resulted in the excellent effect of making it possible to process large areas without using a source.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and Fig. 6 shows a method of overlapping the ends of two laser beams to make the energy density of the combined beam constant. An explanatory diagram, FIG. 4, is an explanatory diagram of stamping processing using a conventional device. In the figure, (3) is the workpiece, (5) and (6) are the laser beams (the force is the prism, and (8) and (9) are the irradiation patterns on the workpiece. Symbols indicate the same or equivalent parts. Agent Patent Attorney Sanro Kimura Figure 2 Figure 3 (Q) (b) Figure 4 Continued hli Author (self-proposal) September 24, 1985, 1 .'l'I-'+Director) crotch 1, -111'1 indication Patent application Sho 60-3292
No. 0 2, Name of invention Laser processing device 3, ? Those who stop +li ゎqrogs. / 1 6゜Contents of amendment (1) The "Claims" of the specification will be amended as shown in the attached sheet. (2) The following is added after "obtained." on page 5, line 7 of the specification. "Figures 1 and 2 show examples using prisms, but
A reflective mirror or lens may be used instead. Claims (Amendment) [(1) A laser processing device that irradiates a workpiece with a laser beam having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape, including a plurality of laser generation sources and a laser beam outputted from the generation sources. What is claimed is: 1. A laser processing device comprising a prism, a reflecting mirror, or a lens for irradiating a workpiece with a laser beam that contacts the workpiece. (2) A laser processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that (B) irradiates laser beams having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape outputted from the plurality of laser sources so as to partially overlap each other. . ”

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a laser processing device that irradiates a workpiece with a laser beam having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape, the workpiece is A laser processing device characterized by comprising: a prism that irradiates the laser beam. (2) Laser processing according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser beams having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape output from the plurality of laser sources are irradiated so as to partially overlap with each other. Device.