초록 ▼

A process and device for shaping surfaces by laser machining and which are used for photorefractive keratectomy and shaping contact lenses. The shaping is performed in stages so that after any interruption in the process, a complete partial correction of the entire surface is obtained. A computing u

A process and device for shaping surfaces by laser machining and which are used for photorefractive keratectomy and shaping contact lenses. The shaping is performed in stages so that after any interruption in the process, a complete partial correction of the entire surface is obtained. A computing unit receives data from input units and directs data to a block generator which associates laser machining coordinates to enable the removal of individual surface layers. A sequence generator gathers the data generated by the block generator into blocks which correspond to an individual ablation areas, and orders the blocks into sequences. A block sequence transmitted by the sequence generator acts upon a laser beam deflector and beam shaping unit such that the complete partial correction of the surface is obtained for each block sequence. A central processor coordinates control of the laser, the beam shaping unit and the laser beam deflector.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A device for shaping surfaces by laser ablation, comprisinga pulsed laser:a beam formation unit;a laser deviation unit tuned to a pulse sequence of the laser for deviating the laser beam to a surface to be shaped:a control unit for controlling said laser deviation unit

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A device for shaping surfaces by laser ablation, comprisinga pulsed laser:a beam formation unit;a laser deviation unit tuned to a pulse sequence of the laser for deviating the laser beam to a surface to be shaped:a control unit for controlling said laser deviation unit and said beam formation unit;a first input unit containing starting parameters for shaping the surface:a second input unit containing data relating to the laser;a computation unit arranged to receive the starting parameters from said first input unit and laser data from said second input unit, said computation unit correlating required coordinates of individual laser shots for the surface to be entirely ablated;a block generator arranged to receive the coordinates of the laser shots from said computation unit, said block generator associating the laser shots together into blocks of laser shots, each of the blocks including laser shots for ablating an ablation area in a single layer of the surface;a sequence generator coupled to said block generator for receiving the blocks generated in said block generator, said sequence generator combining said blocks into block sequences, each of the block sequences including specific blocks of laser shots effective to achieve a complete partial correction of the entire surface by ablating a complete surface layer;said control unit being arranged to receive the block sequences from said sequence generator and generate control data for controlling said laser deviation unit and said beam formation unit based on the block sequences such that the complete partial correction of the entire surface is obtainable for each of the block sequence; anda central computing unit arranged to receive the control data from said control unit and control said laser, said beam formation unit and said laser deviation unit to obtain the complete partial correction of the entire surface for each of the block sequences.