CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-003228, filed on Jan. 12, 2018, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an optical processing apparatus, an optical processing method, and an optically-processed product production method.

Background Art

Optical processing apparatuses that process an object to be processed using a plurality of rays of process light are known in the art.

For example, a laser processor (optical processing apparatus) that processes an object to be processed made of transparency material, using two kinds of laser beams (process light), is known in the art. Such a laser processor irradiates an object to be processed with first laser beams of short pulse to form a transitory defective level, and then irradiates the object to be processed with second laser beams whose wavelengths are shorter than those of the first laser beam within a short period of time while the optical absorptance is increased. As a result, the first and second laser beams overlap with each other. Such a laser processor irradiates the object to be processed with the first laser beams to cause multiphoton absorption in a transparency material that does not absorb optical energy under normal circumstances, and forms a transitory defective level such as a color center at the portion where the multiphoton absorption is caused. As a result, the optical absorptance at that portion temporarily increases for a very short time. As the object to be processed is irradiated with the second laser beams in this state where the optical absorptance is increased, the optical energy of the second laser beams is transmitted to the transparency material in an efficient manner, and the processing (internal reforming or transpiration machining) advances.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein provide an optical processing apparatus, an optical processing method, and an optically-processed product production method. The optical processing apparatus includes a first light-emitting unit configured to emit a first process light to a focal point set inside an object to be processed, and a second light-emitting unit configured to emit a second process light with a light-absorbing wavelength for plasma or gas generated inside the object to be processed, by the first process light. The optical processing method includes emitting a first process light to a focal point set inside an object to be processed, using a first light-emitting unit, and emitting a second process light during a period of time in which plasma or gas is generated inside the object to be processed, by the first process light, using a second light-emitting unit. The processed product production method includes emitting a first process light to a focal point set inside an object to be processed, using a first light-emitting unit, and emitting a second process light during a period in which plasma or gas is generated inside the object to be processed by the first process light, using a second light-emitting unit.

