Thin-film devices, for example electrochromic devices for windows, and methods of manufacturing are described. Particular focus is given to methods of patterning optical devices. Various edge deletion and isolation scribes are performed, for example, to ensure the optical device has appropriate isolation from any edge defects. Methods described herein apply to any thin-film device having one or more material layers sandwiched between two thin film electrical conductor layers. The described methods create novel optical device configurations.

Thin-film devices, for example electrochromic devices for windows, and methods of manufacturing are described. Particular focus is given to methods of patterning optical devices. Various edge deletion and isolation scribes are performed, for example, to ensure the optical device has appropriate isolation from any edge defects. Methods described herein apply to any thin-film device having one or more material layers sandwiched between two thin film electrical conductor layers. The described methods create novel optical device configurations.

A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a first scanner and a second scanner, a distance measurement light emitting section, a reference member which is arranged at a position which is the other end of a correction optical path formed with the distance measurement light emitting section as one end of the correction optical path and is arranged such that an optical path length of the correction optical path is a predetermined reference distance, a distance measurement light receiving section which receives distance measurement light reflected by the workpiece or the reference member, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the workpiece or the reference member, and a distance correcting section which compares a measurement result of the distance to the reference member with the reference distance stored in advance to correct the measurement result obtained by the distance measuring section.

A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a first scanner and a second scanner, a distance measurement light emitting section, a reference member which is arranged at a position which is the other end of a correction optical path formed with the distance measurement light emitting section as one end of the correction optical path and is arranged such that an optical path length of the correction optical path is a predetermined reference distance, a distance measurement light receiving section which receives distance measurement light reflected by the workpiece or the reference member, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the workpiece or the reference member, and a distance correcting section which compares a measurement result of the distance to the reference member with the reference distance stored in advance to correct the measurement result obtained by the distance measuring section.

A method for producing a light deflection structure includes the steps of: a) producing a first plurality of interaction regions, in which at least one laser beam interacts with the substrate material along a first path with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions, b) producing a second plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions along a second path offset with respect and with a spatial overlap with the first path, c) optionally producing a further plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the further interaction regions along a further path offset with respect to and with a spatial overlap with the path used immediately before, and d) optionally carrying out step c) multiple times. The method also includes producing type II modifications of the substrate material, and changing at least one process parameter from one beam path to another beam path.

A method for producing a light deflection structure includes the steps of: a) producing a first plurality of interaction regions, in which at least one laser beam interacts with the substrate material along a first path with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions, b) producing a second plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the interaction regions along a second path offset with respect and with a spatial overlap with the first path, c) optionally producing a further plurality of interaction regions with a spatial overlap of the further interaction regions along a further path offset with respect to and with a spatial overlap with the path used immediately before, and d) optionally carrying out step c) multiple times. The method also includes producing type II modifications of the substrate material, and changing at least one process parameter from one beam path to another beam path.

A laser welding method includes a welding step of applying a laser beam to a surface of a workpiece while the laser beam is caused to advance in an X-direction and scanning with the laser beam is simultaneously performed in a Y-direction intersecting the X-direction. The welding step includes a first weaving step of causing the laser beam to weave in the Y-direction with first amplitude (A.sub.1), and a second weaving step of causing the laser beam to weave with a predetermined amplitude smaller than first amplitude (A.sub.1) at both end portions of a weaving trajectory drawn by the laser beam in the first weaving step.

A laser beam irradiation unit of a laser processing apparatus includes a laser oscillator that oscillates a laser, a Y-axis scanner that executes a high-speed scan with a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator in a Y-axis direction, an X-axis scanner that executes processing feed of the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator in an X-axis direction, and a beam condenser. The Y-axis scanner is selected from any of an AOD, a resonant scanner, and a polygon scanner and the X-axis scanner is selected from a galvano scanner and a resonant scanner.

System and method of laser processing a section of web, or “strip” in a “step and repeat” manner while doing so with a continuously moving web during laser processing. The combination of continuous laser processing with a step and repeat manner of cutting parts from the strip, increases throughput for parts. The method includes retracting and indexing a web between passes of continuous laser processing of the web of material and alternating laser processing between two webs in a dual web system further increases throughput results from laser processing.

System and method of laser processing a section of web, or “strip” in a “step and repeat” manner while doing so with a continuously moving web during laser processing. The combination of continuous laser processing with a step and repeat manner of cutting parts from the strip, increases throughput for parts. The method includes retracting and indexing a web between passes of continuous laser processing of the web of material and alternating laser processing between two webs in a dual web system further increases throughput results from laser processing.