초록 ▼

The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes b

The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A laser system for sculpting a region of a cornea to effect a predetermined change in shape, the system comprising: a laser for generating a first laser beam suitable for ablation of the cornea; an optical element optically coupled to the first laser beam, the optical element

What is claimed is: 1. A laser system for sculpting a region of a cornea to effect a predetermined change in shape, the system comprising: a laser for generating a first laser beam suitable for ablation of the cornea; an optical element optically coupled to the first laser beam, the optical element separating the first laser beam into a plurality of laser beams; and an optical train optically coupled to the beams so as to direct the plurality of optical beams simultaneously toward differing areas of the cornea, the differing areas defining an ablation pattern; a controller coupled with the laser, optical element and/or optical train capable of providing signals which effect movement of the beams in unison while maintaining a fixed relationship between the differing areas of the ablation pattern, and wherein the controller is capable of providing signals which effect translation of the beams in unison across the cornea while maintaining a fixed relationship between the differing areas of the ablation pattern; and a temporal integrator for rotating the first beam to effect rotation of the beams upon receipt of the signals. 2. The laser system of claim 1 further comprising an aperture between the laser and the optical element, wherein the aperture is a variable aperture so as to change a dimension of each of the beams. 3. The laser system of claim 2, wherein the optical train further comprises an imaging system having a depth of field separated from the cornea so as to form a blurred image of the aperture on the cornea. 4. The laser system of claim 3, further comprising a collimation lens positioned near the aperture for focusing the beam to a waist about a back focal point of the imaging system to collimate the beam near the cornea. 5. The laser system of claim 2, wherein the optical element comprises a spatial integrator for splitting the laser beam into the plurality of laser beams and contouring a laser beam intensity from an initial energy profile distribution to a predetermined integrated laser beam energy profile distribution at a spatial integration plane. 6. The laser system of claim 5, wherein the aperture is separated from the spatial integration plane. 7. The laser system of claim 5, wherein the spatial integrator comprises a hexagonal array producing seven overlapping beams at the spatial integration plane. 8. The laser system of claim 2, wherein the aperture further profiles the first beam, and wherein the aperture is rotatable so as to rotate the beams about differing axes. 9. The laser system of claim 1, wherein the controller is capable of providing signals which effect translation of the beams in unison across the cornea while maintaining a fixed relationship between the differing areas of the ablation pattern. 10. The laser system of claim 9, further comprising a scanning element for translating the beams across the cornea upon receipt of the signals. 11. The laser system of claim 1, wherein rotation of the beams includes rotation around a common center of rotation. 12. The laser system of claim 1, wherein rotation of the beams includes rotation around an arbitrary axis of rotation. 13. The laser system of claim 1, wherein rotation of the beams includes rotation of each of the beams around its own center of rotation while maintaining a fixed relationship between the centers of rotation of the beams. 14. A laser system for sculpting a region of a cornea of an eye to effect a predetermined change in shape, the system comprising: a laser for generating a laser beam of an ablative energy, the laser beam being pulsed to generate a first plurality of laser beam pulses; a spatial integrator comprising a hexagonal array for splitting the laser beam into a second plurality of seven laser beams, and for contouring the laser beam intensity from an initial energy profile distribution to a predetermined integrated laser beam energy profile distribution at the spatial integration plane whereby the second plurality of seven beams overlap; a temporal integrator for rotating the second plurality of seven simultaneous beams amid the laser beam pulses of the first plurality; a variable aperture for controlling the passing of the beam, the aperture being positioned to intercept the laser beam at a plane other than the spatial integration plane, a dimension of the aperture changing and the aperture rotating amid the pulses of the first plurality; an optical element for simultaneously overlapping the second plurality of seven beams, the optical element comprising an imaging system for forming a blurred image of the aperture on the region; a scanning element for translating the second plurality of seven simultaneous beams amid the first plurality of laser beam pulses; and a collimation lens positioned about the aperture for focusing the beam to a waist near a focal point of the imaging system to collimate the beam near the region. 15. A laser system for sculpting a region of a cornea to effect a predetermined change in shape, the system comprising: a laser for generating a first laser beam suitable for ablation of the cornea; an optical element optically coupled to the first laser beam, the optical element separating the first laser beam into a plurality of laser beams; an aperture between the laser and the optical element, wherein the aperture is a variable aperture so as to change a dimension of each of the beams; an optical train optically coupled to the beams so as to direct the plurality of optical beams simultaneously toward differing areas of the cornea, the differing areas defining an ablation pattern, the optical train comprising an adjustment mechanism for altering the ablation pattern during an ablation procedure, wherein the optical train further comprises an imaging system having a depth of field separated from the cornea so as to form a blurred image of the aperture on the cornea; a collimation lens positioned near the aperture for focusing the beam to a waist about a back focal point of the imaging system to collimate the beam near the cornea; and a temporal integrator for rotating the first beam. 16. The laser system of claim 15, further comprising a scanning element for translating the beam across the cornea. 17. The laser system of claim 15, wherein the aperture further profiles the first beam, and wherein the aperture is rotatable so as to rotate the beams about differing axes. 18. A laser system for sculpting a region of a cornea to effect a predetermined change in shape, the system comprising: a laser for generating a first laser beam suitable for ablation of the cornea; an optical element optically coupled to the first laser beam, the optical element separating the first laser beam into a plurality of laser beams and wherein the optical element comprises a spatial integrator for splitting the laser beam into the plurality of laser beams and contouring a laser beam intensity from an initial energy profile distribution to a predetermined integrated laser beam energy profile distribution at a spatial integration plane; an aperture between the laser and the optical element, wherein the aperture is a variable aperture so as to change a dimension of each of the beams; an optical train optically coupled to the beams so as to direct the plurality of optical beams simultaneously toward differing areas of the cornea, the differing areas defining an ablation pattern, the optical train comprising an adjustment mechanism for altering the ablation pattern during an ablation procedure, wherein the optical train further comprises an imaging system having a depth of field separated from the cornea so as to form a blurred image of the aperture on the cornea; and a collimation lens positioned near the aperture for focusing the beam to a waist about a back focal point of the imaging system to collimate the beam near the cornea. 19. The laser system of claim 18, wherein the aperture is separated from the spatial integration plane. 20. The laser system of claim 18, wherein the spatial integrator comprises a hexagonal array producing seven overlapping beams at the spatial integration plane. 21. The laser system of claim 18, wherein the aperture further profiles the first beam, and wherein the aperture is rotatable so as to rotate the beams about differing axes.