The characteristics of holes machined by a deflected laser beam are investigated theoretically, from the point of view that the variation of beam power profiles caused by the deflection of a beam can be represented by the change of beam spot sizes. The practical applicability of the theoretical results is shown by the experiment on the machining of a thin chromium film with a Q-switched laser oscillated in a single transverse mode. The results obtained are as follows:
1) It is possible to minimize the change of hole diameters with an increase in beam spot sizes by adequately choosing the irradiation condition, which can be obtained theoretically.
2) By removing a focusing lens sufficiently far from the laser cavity, holes with diameter as fine as 5 μm can be machined by the long focus lens suitable to combine with a beam deflector.
3) With respect to the distance from the center to the position at which the hole diameter is almost the same as that at the center, it is the longest when a deflected laser beam has the irradiation power 34 times the threshold one required for machining. This experimental result fairly agrees with the theoretical one.
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