Importance

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Abstract

A method of protecting a laser unit from dust during laser processing of a target in a processing area includes establishing an essentially ambient pressure at the processing area, and directing a longitudinal gas flow towards the processing area to establish in a first region intermediate the processing area and the laser unit, thereby effectively preventing dust from moving towards the laser unit and at the same time minimizing the forces acting on the target. A corresponding dust protection device defines a channel extending from a radiation inlet opening, facing the laser unit, to a radiation outlet opening, facing the target. A gas control unit communicates with the channel to feed gas thereto through at least one gas inlet aperture spaced from the radiation outlet opening. Simultaneously, the gas control unit removes gas from the channel through at least one gas outlet aperture adjacent to the radiation outlet opening.

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First Claim