Two-dimensional Laser Drilling Using the Superposition of Orthogonally Polarized Images from Two Computer-generated Holograms

Abstract

Laser processing using holograms can greatly improve processing speed, by spatially distributing the laser energy on the target material. However, it is difficult to reconstruct an image with arrays of closely spaced spots for laser processing, because the specklelike interference pattern prevents the spots from getting close to each other. To resolve this problem, a line target was divided in two, reconstructed with orthogonally polarized beams, and then superposed. Their optical reconstruction was performed by computer-generated holograms and a pulsed laser. With this method, we performed two-dimensional (2D) laser drilling of polyimide film, with a kerf width of 20 mu m and a total processing length of 20 mm.