US4484334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical beam concentrator
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1981-11-17
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Granted: 1984-11-20
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Expires: 2001-11-17
Abstract
Abstract An optical beam concentrator divides and redirects an incident beam to provide uniform irradiation along the length of a narrow rectangular area. The beam concentrator may form a part of an apparatus for laser irradiation of materials. The apparatus comprises a laser, a beam concentrator, and a support for the material being irradiated. Depending on the system parameters, the apparatus is particularly useful for gettering defects in semiconductor device fabrication or other materials processing applications.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Pressley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:52
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/073; B23K26/0732; G02; G02B; G02B19/00; G02B19/0004; G02B19/0009; G02B19/0014; G02B19/0019; G02B19/0033; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
An optical beam concentrator comprising both a segmented and a non-segmented cylindrical optical element oriented so that the elements divide a light beam incident on a first element into a plurality of parts and redirect the parts to intersect to form a substantially rectangular area of substantially uniform power density along its length at a predetermined distance from the second element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
An optical beam concentrator comprising both a segmented and a non-segmented cylindrical optical element oriented so that the elements divide a light beam incident on a first element into a plurality of parts and redirect the parts to intersect to form a substantially rectangular area of substantially uniform power density along its length at a predetermined distance from the second element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The beam concentrator of claim 1 in which the non-segmented element is reflective.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The beam concentrator of claim 1 in which the segmented optical element comprises reflective segments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The beam concentrator of claim 3 in which the reflective segments are substantially rectangular, are in contact along their long dimension, and have short dimensions that decrease monotonically away from a central rectangle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The beam concentrator of claim 1 in which the non-segmented element is transparent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The beam concentrator of claim 1 in which the segmented optical element comprises transparent segments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for exposing material to a laser beam having a substantially uniform power density along its length comprising, in combination: a laser, whose output beam is directed to the beam concentrator of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 to divide and redirect the laser beam, and means for supporting material for exposure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the laser is an alexandrite laser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the laser includes means for Q-switching the laser.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the laser includes means for tuning the wavelength of the laser beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the laser includes a beam expander to enlarge the spatial extent of the laser beam prior to its passing to the concentrator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the means for supporting the material further comprises means for moving the material in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of the laser beam incident on the material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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GB2012065A
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US4195913A
Cited
US4320164A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-11-20 | 1988-05-21 | 1988-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-11-20 | 1992-05-21 | 1992-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-11-20 | 1996-05-21 | 1996-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |