Towards Dynamic Holographic Laser Beam Shaping

High-power ultrashort pulsed lasers with average powers exceeding 100 W are commercially available. Yet, the successful transfer of such lasers into application, microstructuring in particular, lacks appropriate tools. The most promising strategies today are high-speed beam scanning or parallelization in terms of beam shaping or multi-spot generation. A combination of both strategies into one device would be the most promising tool to reach much higher processing efficiencies compared to date. We will present the first sub-steps we are undertaking to realize such devices, utilizing the acoustooptic effect as well as liquid crystal based modulators and phase holograms. First results include the rapid manufacturing of phase holograms and high-speed beam scanning and shaping using acoustooptical deflectors - reaching beam shape switching times of 1 mu s.