Methods, systems, devices, and substrates are described. In some examples, an apparatus may include optical components configured to adjust an input to a laser cutting optic for modifying a substrate (e.g., an optically transmissive substrate). In some examples, the optical components may include a beam deflector, a first optic configured to output a first laser beam with a first beam width, and a second optic configured to output a second laser beam with a second beam width. In some examples, the beam deflector may modify an optical path of a pulsed laser (e.g., through the first optic or through the second optic), which may result in an input to the laser cutting optic having a beam width corresponding to the first optic or the second optic. The different input beam widths may modify a line focus intensity of an output of the laser cutting optic when modifying the substrate.

In one aspect, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed, which comprises incorporating at least one dopant in a semiconductor substrate so as to generate a doped polyphase surface layer on a light-trapping surface, and optically annealing the surface layer via exposure to a plurality of laser pulses having a pulsewidth in a range of about 1 nanosecond to about 50 nanoseconds so as to enhance crystallinity of said doped surface layer while maintaining high above-bandgap, and in many embodiments sub-bandgap optical absorptance.

A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO.sub.2 emitting at 10.6 μm is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO.sub.2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

A laser welding system is provided. The laser welding system includes a laser source configured to produce a laser beam, beam shaping means configured to form a beam profile different from that of the laser beam, and shielding means configured to shield at least a portion of the shaped beam profile.

A laser processing apparatus and a stack processing apparatus are provided. The laser processing apparatus can perform steps selectively by switching of optical paths. The steps are a step in which a first surface of a flat-plate structure is irradiated with a laser and a step in which a surface opposite to the first surface of the structure is irradiated with the laser. The laser is a linear laser whose shape on the irradiated surface is a rectangle. By laser irradiation performed while the structure is moved in the horizontal direction, the whole or a desired region of the first surface or the opposite surface of the structure can be processed.

A method for laser welding is provided. The method includes arranging at least one heat source point from a first collection of heat source points so as to overlap at least a portion of at least one heat source point from a second collection of heat source points, irradiating a portion of a target with the first and second collections of heat source points, the heat source points maintaining a linear profile within their respective collection, and directing the at least two collections of heat source points in a travel direction along a weld line, each linear profile maintaining an oblique angle relative to the travel direction.

The invention provides a multi-segment focusing lens for effective laser processing method that allows to cut/scribe/cleave/dice or, generally speaking, separate, hard, brittle, and solid wafers or glass sheets, which are either bare or have microelectronic or MEMS devices formed on them. The multi-segment focusing lens is used in a laser processing method comprises a step of modifying a pulsed laser beam by a shaping and focusing unit, including a multi-segment lens. Said multi-segment lens creates multiple beam convergence zones, more particularly, multiple focal points, said and interference spike shape intensity distribution exceeding the optical damage threshold of the workpiece material. Said interference spike shape intensity distribution is situated in the bulk of the workpiece. During the aforementioned step a modified area is created. The laser processing method further comprises a step of creating a number of such damage structures in a predetermined breaking line or curved trajectory by relative translation of the workpiece in relation to the focal point of the laser beam.

An apparatus for high speed laser drilling of tablets, particularly controlled-release tablets is disclosed. The apparatus comprises of a rotary disk (118) with radial slots (401) to hold the tablets in position with help of centrifugal force. The apparatus further comprises a laser system (120) configured to fire a laser beam in order to draw a line of required length on tablets to drill a precise hole at high speed. The laser system (120) is enabled to draw a line on tablet at a speed equal to that of rotational speed of tablets on the rotary disk (118).

A laser welding system is provided including a laser source configured to produce at least one laser beam, beam modifying means configured to split the at least one laser beam, directing means, and controlling means configured to control the directing means. The controlling is configured to control the directing means to cause the split laser beam to form at least two heat source points on the target, the heat source points maintaining a linear profile, and move the at least two heat source points in a travel direction along the target, wherein the linear profile forms a predetermined, oblique angle relative to the travel direction.

The thermal processing device includes a stage, a continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source, a series of lenses, a translation mechanism, a detection module, a three-dimensional auto-focus, and a computer system. The stage is configured to receive a substrate thereon. The continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source is disposed adjacent the stage, and is configured to emit continuous wave electromagnetic radiation along a path towards the substrate. The series of lenses is disposed between the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source and the stage, and are configured to condense the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into a line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation on a surface of the substrate. The translation mechanism is configured to translate the stage and the line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation relative to one another. The detection module is positioned within the path, and is configured to detect continuous wave electromagnetic radiation.