APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVE PROCESSING OF MATERIALS WITH RADIANT ENERGY

摘要

Apparatus (10) for selective processing of a substrate (S) using radiant energy (R). The substrate can consist of any target material having a portion (P) to be processed using the radiant energy and a larger portion (U) to be unprocessed. The apparatus consists of a source of radiant energy (20) (preferably a quantum cascade laser (40)) that has a customizable spectrum that can be configured to be specifically absorbed only by the portion (P) to be processed, and a control system (100) for targeting the radiant energy only at the portion (P) to be processed. Specific examples of the use of the apparatus and method are in the technologies of heat-shrinking polyethylene film (212), fusing toner to paper in a laser printer, heating reaction vessels in DNA testing, and temperature profiling bottle pre-forms.