ENERGY-EFFICIENT, LASER-BASED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING TARGET MATERIAL

摘要

An method and system for processing target material such as microstructures in a microscopic region without causing undesirable changes in electrical and/or physical characteristics of material surrounding the target material is provided. The system includes a controller for generating a processing control signal and a signal generator for generating a modulated drive waveform based on the processing control signal. The system also includes a gain-switched, pulsed semiconductor seed laser for generating a laser pulse trains at a repetition rate. The drive waveform pumps the laser so that each pluse of the pulse train has a predetermined shape. Further, the system includes a laser amplifier for optically amplifying the pulse train to obtain an amplified pulse train without significantly changing the predetermined shape of the pulse. Each of the amplified pulses has a substantially square temporal power density distribution, a sharp rise time, a pulse duration and a fall time. The system further includes a beam delivery and focusing subsystem for delivering and focusing at least a portion of the amplified pulse train onto the target material.