Laser micromachining is a non-contact thermal material-removal process that uses focused laser beams to ablate, cut, drill, or mark materials at the microscale with extreme precision. The process is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, electronics assembly, and medical device fabrication for applications including wafer dicing, via drilling in advanced packaging, and precision cutting of thin films.
Key challenges in laser micromachining include maintaining submicron positioning accuracy across large work areas, controlling heat-affected zones to prevent material damage, ensuring consistent energy delivery at high speeds, and minimizing thermal drift during extended production runs. A precision laser scan head addresses these challenges by providing high-resolution beam positioning through digital encoders, rapid scanning dynamics for increased throughput, integrated thermal management to maintain process stability, and synchronized laser firing based on real-time position feedback. All this ensures that the laser energy is delivered exactly where and when it’s needed for repeatable, high-quality results in demanding micromachining applications.
The AGV-CPO CORE Performance 2-Axis Laser Scan Head is Areotech’s latest precision motion control product designed for laser processing applications across multiple industries. The new scan head delivers performance characteristics similar to Aerotech’s established AGV scanner line while offering compatibility with existing control infrastructure, allowing users to expand their systems without additional controller investments.
The AGV-CPO CORE Performance 2-Axis Laser Scan Head combines high-resolution positioning and advanced control capabilities with scalability to support a broader range of laser processing applications. Image: Aerotech
According to Bryan Germann, optomechatronics lead at Aerotech, the AGV-CPO combines high-resolution positioning and advanced control capabilities with scalability to support a broader range of laser processing applications.
The scan head features Aerotech’s Automation1 control platform, which supports up to 32 servo and galvo axes from a single controller. The system includes RS-274-compliant G-code programming, motion lookahead, and C-transformations for complex motion coordination.
Technical capabilities include digital optical encoders and advanced materials for positioning resolution and dynamic performance. The AGV-CPO incorporates Infinite Field of View (IFOV) technology, which integrates scanner motion with servo stages to expand the working area and reduce repositioning requirements during processing.
Position Synchronized Output (PSO) functionality provides laser firing control based on real-time feedback from both scanner mirror position and coordinated stage positions, supporting applications requiring precise energy delivery, such as cutting, welding, and additive manufacturing.
Additionally, thermal management features include integrated motor water cooling and scanner mirror air cooling to minimize thermal drift during extended processing operations.
Aside from TGV drilling and wafer dicing in semiconductor manufacturing, the laser scanner head is suitable for novel ultrafast laser process development; flat cutting and drilling in medical device micromachining; electronics display cutting and PCB drilling; and additive manufacturing support processes such as two-photon polymerization.
Aerotech
www.aerotech.com
Filed Under: Semiconductor manufacture
