System and method for high power laser processing

1. A high power laser processing system comprising a laser source for providing a high power laser illumination at a first wavelength, and at least one low absorption positionable mirror that is selectively angularly positionable to provide reflected high power laser illumination at a plurality of selectable angular positions along a linear range with respect to the high power laser illumination from the laser source, said low absorption positionable mirror including a substrate that is substantially transparent to and partially absorptive of illumination at said first wavelength, at least one highly reflective coating on a first side of said substrate, said highly reflective coating configured to reflect a first portion of the high power laser illumination incident thereon and to transmit a second portion of the high power laser illumination into said substrate, said first portion being substantially larger than the second portion, and a second side of said substrate on an opposite side of said substrate from said first side, said second side of said substrate for receiving the second portion of the high power laser illumination through the substrate and comprising a surface that is configured to reduce internally reflected or internally scattered illumination upon incidence of the second portion of the high power laser illumination at the second side of the substrate relative to an unpolished and uncoated substrate surface.

2. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second side of the low absorption positionable mirror comprises a polished surface with an anti-reflective coating.

3. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said highly reflective coating includes a metal oxide.

4. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said anti-reflective coating includes at least one of magnesium fluoride, aluminum oxide, thallium fluoride and zinc sulphide.

5. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said substrate includes silicon.

6. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a beam director means, said beam director means including said at least one low absorption positionable mirror, said beam director is configured to controllably direct the high power laser beam toward a work piece.

7. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means for delivering the high power laser beam to the at least one low absorption positionable mirror.

8. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said system further includes one or more heat-dissipating traps for receiving illumination that passes through each said low absorption positionable mirror.

9. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one low absorption positionable mirror is affixed to a limited rotation motor.

10. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said laser source includes a CO 2 laser and said first wavelength is about 10.6 μm.

11. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising focusing means for forming a laser spot on a work piece.

12. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when illuminated with the high power laser illumination, the at least one low absorption positionable mirror undergoes a mirror temperature rise above ambient at thermal equilibrium that is at or below a desired maximum temperature rise and is below the temperature rise of a mirror with an unpolished and uncoated second substrate side.

13. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising active cooling means for reducing a temperature rise above ambient at thermal equilibrium due to absorption of laser illumination.

14. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said highly reflective coating is on an exposed surface of the at least one low absorption positionable mirror.

15. A high power laser processing system comprising:

a laser source for providing a high power laser illumination at a first wavelength;

at least one low absorption mirror that includes a substrate that is substantially transparent to and partially absorptive of illumination at said first wavelength, at least one highly reflective coating on a first side of said substrate, said highly reflective coating configured to reflect a first portion of the high power laser illumination incident thereon and to transmit a second portion of the high power laser illumination into said substrate, said first portion being substantially larger than the second portion, and a second side of said substrate on an opposite side of said substrate from said first side, said second side of said substrate for receiving the second portion of the high power laser illumination through the substrate and comprising a surface that is configured to reduce internally reflected or internally scattered illumination upon incidence of the second portion of the high power laser illumination at the second side of the substrate relative to an unpolished and uncoated substrate surface; and

a limited rotation motor including a motor shaft that is coupled to the low absorption mirror for angularly positioning the low absorption mirror to provide the reflected first portion of the high power laser illumination at a plurality of selectable angular directions with respect to the high power laser illumination for processing a workpiece with the high power laser illumination, wherein each of the plurality of selectable angular directions is generally transverse with respect to an axis of rotation of the motor shaft.

16. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said high power laser processing system further includes a light trap that is absorptive of the high power laser illumination, said light trap being positioned to capture any high power laser illumination that exits the low absorption mirror from the second side thereof.

17. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said highly reflective coating includes a metal oxide.

18. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the second side of the low absorption mirror includes a polished surface with an antireflective coating.

19. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said anti-reflective coating includes at least one of magnesium fluoride, aluminum oxide, thallium fluoride and zinc sulphide.

20. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said high power laser illumination has a power of at least about 6 kW.

21. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said high power laser processing system includes no active cooling means for actively cooling the low absorption mirror.

22. A high power laser processing system comprising:

a laser source for providing a high power laser illumination at a first wavelength;

first and second absorption mirrors that each includes a substrate that is substantially transparent to and partially absorptive of illumination at said first wavelength, at least one highly reflective coating on a first side of said substrate, said highly reflective coating configured to reflect a first portion of the high power laser illumination incident thereon and to transmit a second portion of the high power laser illumination into said substrate, said first portion being substantially larger than the second portion, and a second side of said substrate on an opposite side of said substrate from said first side, said second side of said substrate for receiving the second portion of the high power laser illumination through the substrate and comprising a surface that is configured to reduce internally reflected or internally scattered illumination upon incidence of the second portion of the high power laser illumination at the second side of the substrate relative to an unpolished and uncoated substrate surface;

a first limited rotation motor including a first motor shaft that is coupled to the first low absorption mirror for angularly positioning the first low absorption mirror with respect to a workpiece in an x direction; and

a second limited rotation motor including a second motor shaft that is coupled to the second low absorption mirror for angularly positioning the second low absorption mirror with respect to the workpiece in a y direction that is at least substantially transverse to the x direction.

23. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said high power laser processing system further includes a first light trap and a second light trap, each of which is absorptive of the high power laser illumination, said first light trap being positioned to capture any high power laser illumination that exits the first low absorption mirror from the second side thereof, and said second light trap being positioned to capture any high power laser illumination that exits the second low absorption mirror from the second side thereof.

24. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said high power laser illumination has a power of at least about 6 kW.

25. The high power laser processing system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said high power laser processing system includes no active cooling means for actively cooling the low absorption mirror.