Device and method to create a low divergence, high power laser beam for material processing applications

1. A thin beam laser crystallization apparatus for selectively melting a film deposited on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a laser source configured to produce a pulsed laser output beam, the laser source comprising:

an oscillator configured to form a first discharge chamber comprising an unstable resonator cavity and producing an oscillator output having a beam width, w, in a first axis and a divergence less than three times diffraction limited for the width, w, in the first axis and wherein the oscillator output has a beam width, W, in a second axis and a divergence greater than three times diffraction limited for the width, W, in the second axis; and

an optical arrangement comprising a convex reflector having a radius of curvature in a range of 2.0 meters to 3.0 meters, and a plano output coupler spaced apart from the convex reflector by a distance in a range of 1.0 meters to 2.0 meters;

an amplifier configured to form a second discharge chamber;

measurement equipment configured to measure one or more parameters of the pulsed laser output beam; and

a control system configured to control the thin beam laser crystallization apparatus,

wherein a ratio of the curvature of the convex reflector to the spaced apart distance from the convex reflector to the plano output coupler is in the range of 0.5 to 5,

wherein the optical arrangement is configured to focus the beam in the first axis and spatially expand the beam in the second axis to produce a line beam for interaction with the film,

wherein the measurement equipment is configured to measure a relationship for a first gas discharge chamber between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate over a range of pulse repetition rates, and a relationship for a second gas discharge chamber between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate over the range of pulse repetition rates, and

wherein the control unit is configured to compare the measured relationship between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate for the first gas discharge chamber with the measured relationship between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate for the second gas discharge chamber, and adjust at least one of the gas temperature control setpoint and the pulse repetition rate of at least one of the first gas discharge chamber and the second gas discharge chamber to produce the pulsed laser output beam.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the convex reflector is cylindrical.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the laser source further comprises a lens operating on an output beam from the oscillator prior to input into the amplifier.

4. A method for producing a beam having a selected divergence in at least one axis using a pulsed laser, said method comprising the acts of:

measuring a relationship for a first gas discharge chamber between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate over a range of pulse repetition rates;

measuring a relationship for a second gas discharge chamber between divergence and laser pulse repetition rate over the range of pulse repetition rates;

comparing said relationship for the first gas discharge chamber with the relationship for a second gas discharge chamber to determine a temperature delta and pulse repetition rate to produce the selected divergence, the temperature delta being a difference between an operating temperature setpoint of the first gas discharge chamber and an operating temperature setpoint of the second gas discharge chamber; and

adjusting at least one of a gas temperature control setpoint and the pulse repetition rate of at least one of the first gas discharge chamber and the second gas discharge chamber to produce a beam having the selected divergence.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein the comparing act determines a temperature delta and pulse repetition rate to produce a minimum divergence within a pulse repetition rate range.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein the determined temperature delta exceeds 5 degrees C.