June 25, 2008 — Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., a provider of photonic and laser systems for micro-engineering applications, announced that its newest dual-beam, high-power micromachining system is commercially available. ESI has already received a multi-system order for its new Model 5800 laser system, which will be employed for machining very high-quality micro features on a broad array of materials including semiconductors, ceramics, metals, polymers, solar cells and glass.

“The deployment of this new laser technology is a prime example of how ESI is executing on its product roadmap,” says Jeffrey Albelo, ESI interconnect and micromachining product group director. “We are leveraging core competencies into adjacent applications. By utilizing a dual-beam fiber laser system, equipped with high speed digital galvanometers, we can now micromachine features and materials that were previously unavailable to our customers. This opens the door for opportunities in fields such as automotive, solar, consumer electronics, and other industrial applications. We are thrilled at the prospect of working with new customers in these areas as we bring a robust array of micromachining tools to market.”

The Model 5800 incorporates two high-power fiber lasers specifically designed for industrial use. By utilizing the patented Compound Beam Positioner with seven axes of coordinated motion control, there is no stepping time and no abutment errors involved during machining. The Model 5800 system is equipped with programmable spacing between the two beams, which results in optimal machining speed. The combined effect of the high-power fiber laser and field-proven compound beam positioner provides maximum flexibility and the best possible cost-of-ownership (CoO), and makes the Model 5800 an ideal tool for mass production of both micro and macro features.