Compact laser system for microprocessing applications

We propose a compact laser system for micromachining and microfabrication a pplications. The system is mainly composed of a laser source, a beam handli ng system for two-dimensional scanning, and can be combined with an auto fo cus allowing a third degree of freedom. The laser source is a high power di rect diode side-pumped pulsed solid state laser, which produces a high qual ity and high intensity laser beam. The crystal is a Nd:yttrium-aluminum-gar net emitting at 1.06 mu m for industrial micromaterial processing, at 1.35 mu m, and also at 1.44 mu m for tissue treatments in biomedical application s. The beam handling system consists of a compact tip/tilt laser scanner. E lectromagnetic actuators drive the mirror and its suspension is based on a cone-ball bearing. The scanner achieves a scan range of +/-3 degrees around X and Y axis with an accuracy better than 0.1%. Such a system finds divers e applications in the field of industrial cutting, drilling, and welding. F urthermore, its small volume allows an easy integration in fabrication proc esses. (C) 2000 Laser Institute of Amer-ica. [S1042-346X(00)00605-7].