A light-absorbing material and a processing method for laser cold processing of an aluminum oxide ceramic substrate
By using a composite system of rust red inorganic pigment with potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride, and utilizing laser gasification decomposition to generate high-pressure shock waves for cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates, the problem of organic or carbon-based material residues is solved, achieving efficient and residue-free laser processing, which is suitable for scenarios with high crystallinity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANDONG ZHONGWEI ELECTRONIC TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
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Figure CN122168066A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser processing technology for ceramic substrates, and specifically to a light-absorbing material and processing method for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates. Background Technology
[0002] Alumina ceramics are widely used as substrates for electronic components due to their excellent insulation, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. When fabricating circuits on them, laser scribing is often required to achieve segmentation or functional separation. Currently, near-infrared fiber lasers are the mainstream processing method. However, these lasers have low absorption rates on white or light-colored alumina ceramic substrates, resulting in significant laser energy reflection. Higher energy is required for sintering, leading to an expansion of the heat-affected zone. Uneven heat accumulation causes defects such as microcracks and molten material splashing, severely impacting the electrical performance and mechanical strength of the product.
[0003] Chinese patent CN107903673A discloses a dye that promotes the absorption of infrared laser by a ceramic substrate. The dye contains the following components by weight percentage: 2%~50% dyeing agent, 2%~50% nanoparticles, and 30~93% solvent. The dyeing agent is at least one of Acid Red, Erythrosine, Fluorescent Pink, and Amaranth. This solution can effectively reduce the reflectivity of light in a certain wavelength range of alumina ceramic substrate by adding nanoparticles to the dye, thereby solving the problem of broken lines. However, the problem is that the dyeing agent used is an organic dye such as Acid Red, Erythrosine, and Fluorescent Pink, which is difficult to remove.
[0004] Chinese patent CN109482877A discloses a laser absorbing material and its application. The coating comprises 1-10% solid absorbent, 10-50% liquid absorbent, and the remainder is a volatile organic solvent. The solid absorbent is at least one of carbon black or graphite, and the liquid absorbent is at least one of ink or black paint. The problem with this solution is that a large amount of carbon material is used, but these organic or carbon-based materials form residues that are difficult to remove under the high temperature of the laser. High-temperature treatment is required after processing, which increases the complexity of the process and the risk of pollution.
[0005] In summary, to improve laser absorption rate, existing technologies use light-absorbing materials (graphite, special ink) coated on the ceramic surface as a light-absorbing layer. However, these organic or carbon-based materials form residues that are difficult to remove under the high temperature of the laser, requiring high-temperature treatment after processing, which increases the complexity of the process and the risk of pollution. In addition, carbon black undergoes a violent oxidation and combustion reaction in laser and air environments. This reaction is quite violent and is an exothermic chain reaction, which is difficult to control precisely. It is easy to over-consume itself and generate uncontrollable heat, making it unsuitable for scenarios with extremely high crystallinity requirements. Summary of the Invention
[0006] To address the technical problem that existing white or light-colored alumina ceramic substrates, when laser scribing, often suffer from stubborn residues formed by organic or carbon-based light-absorbing materials at high temperatures, which are difficult to remove and unsuitable for applications requiring high crystallinity, this invention provides a light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates and its application. This light-absorbing material uses rust-red inorganic pigment as the core light-absorbing component and constructs a composite system with inorganic salts such as potassium sulfate and sodium chloride. When applied to laser scribing of alumina ceramic substrates, it undergoes controllable vaporization and decomposition under laser irradiation, generating continuous and stable high-pressure shock waves. This achieves uniform "mechanical abrasion" cold processing of the underlying ceramic layer, making it suitable for applications requiring high crystallinity. Furthermore, it avoids the formation of difficult-to-remove residues from organic or carbon-based materials under high laser temperatures, eliminating the need for post-processing high-temperature treatment to remove surface residues.
[0007] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates. The light-absorbing material comprises the following components by mass percentage: 80%–90% potassium sulfate, 5%–7% sodium chloride, 2%–4% potassium chloride, and 1%–3% rust red inorganic pigment, with the sum of all components being 100%. Rust red, whose main component is Fe2O3, has good absorption performance for near-infrared lasers, significantly improving the substrate's laser absorption rate. Potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride have relatively low melting points; under laser irradiation, they melt rapidly, forming a localized high-temperature molten salt layer. This allows for more uniform energy transfer to the substrate, reducing localized overheating. This enables the generation of effective thermal stress or microcracks on the hard, high-melting-point alumina ceramic with lower laser power, making scribing easier. The sulfate particles and Fe2O3 form a rough composite surface, resulting in multiple laser reflections, which lengthens the effective path and improves absorption efficiency. Furthermore, the molten salt wets the substrate surface, reducing thermal stress at the coating-substrate interface. After scribing, the slag easily peels off with the coating, facilitating cleaning.
[0008] Furthermore, the light-absorbing material comprises the following components by weight percentage: 90% potassium sulfate, 5% sodium chloride, 4% potassium chloride, and 1% rust red inorganic pigment. The 1% rust red content meets the laser absorption requirements, avoiding coating agglomeration or increased residue due to excessive content. The 90% potassium sulfate, as the main carrier, combined with 5% sodium chloride and 4% potassium chloride, maximizes the dispersibility and coatability of the coating. Simultaneously, the three salts synergistically optimize the coating's water solubility, ensuring thorough removal after processing with simple water washing, without the need for high-temperature treatment.
[0009] Furthermore, the main component of the rust red inorganic pigment is Fe2O3, with an average particle size of 0.2~5μm. The particle size range of 0.2~5μm ensures that the pigment particles can be uniformly dispersed in the inorganic salt carrier. This particle size range forms good physical compatibility with the inorganic salt carrier, ensuring the adhesion stability of the light-absorbing coating on the substrate surface.
[0010] Furthermore, the average particle size of the rust-red inorganic pigment is 0.2~2μm. Fe2O3 possesses excellent near-infrared laser absorption characteristics, and the 0.2~2μm ultrafine particles can be more uniformly distributed in the inorganic salt carrier, forming a dense and thin light-absorbing layer. At the same time, the ultrafine particles have a larger specific surface area and higher light absorption efficiency, enabling precise removal of ceramic materials at lower laser energies, further reducing the heat-affected zone and improving processing quality.
[0011] Secondly, the present invention provides a processing method, comprising the following steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. The light-absorbing material described above is coated onto the surface of an alumina ceramic substrate with acceptable appearance to form a light-absorbing coating. The core function of the light-absorbing coating is to construct a laser energy absorption layer. Through the efficient light absorption characteristics of rust red, the laser energy is concentrated on the coating surface and quickly converted into local energy, triggering the vaporization and decomposition of the coating to generate a continuous and stable high-pressure shock wave. This achieves mechanical ablation-type cold processing of the underlying ceramic material, rather than traditional heat conduction melting, thereby significantly reducing the heat-affected zone and avoiding defects such as microcracks and molten material splashing. S3. Use an infrared laser to scribing alumina ceramic substrate coated with a light-absorbing coating; S4. Place the alumina ceramic substrate marked in step S3 into deionized water for ultrasonic cleaning for 2-5 minutes. Ultrasonic cleaning breaks the adhesion between the residual coating and the substrate surface through vibration, and accelerates the dissolution of water-soluble components. The cleaning time of 2-5 minutes can ensure that the residue is completely removed. No high-temperature calcination or chemical reagents are required, which simplifies the process and avoids damage to the substrate performance and environmental pollution caused by high-temperature treatment.
[0012] Furthermore, in step S2, the light-absorbing material coating method is as follows: first, the carrier is completely wetted with a solvent, then the wetted carrier is dipped into the light-absorbing material and coated onto the surface of the qualified alumina ceramic substrate by wiping. After the carrier is wetted with solvent, the surface tension between the light-absorbing material and the carrier can be reduced, allowing the light-absorbing material to be uniformly adsorbed on the carrier, avoiding material agglomeration or uneven application during the dipping process; the wiping coating method can precisely control the coating coverage area, ensuring that the light-absorbing coating is uniformly adhered to the substrate surface, forming an absorption layer of consistent thickness, avoiding local insufficient light absorption or energy concentration caused by improper coating method, and ensuring the consistency and stability of the scribing process.
[0013] Furthermore, the carrier is a sponge or a brush.
[0014] Furthermore, the solvent is one or more alcohols. Preferably, the alcohol solvent is one or more of ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, and methanol. More preferably, the alcohol solvent is one or more of isopropanol and ethanol. Alcohols have good volatility and solubility, which can quickly wet the carrier without chemically reacting with the inorganic components of the light-absorbing material; at the same time, alcohols evaporate quickly, allowing for rapid drying after coating to form a stable light-absorbing coating, and leaving no residue after evaporation, thus not affecting subsequent laser processing or substrate performance, making them safe, environmentally friendly, and easy to operate.
[0015] Furthermore, the average thickness of the light-absorbing coating is 0.8~5μm. Too thin a coating will result in insufficient light absorption, failing to generate a sufficient vaporization shock wave; too thick a coating will increase the residue and cleaning difficulty. This thickness ensures that the laser energy is fully absorbed, achieving efficient removal of the ceramic material, while also guaranteeing that the residual coating can be completely removed by simple ultrasonic cleaning.
[0016] Furthermore, in step S3, the laser power of the infrared laser is 10~200W, the scanning speed is 100~300mm / s, and it is a single scan.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: (1) The light-absorbing material of this invention is constructed by compounding rust-red inorganic pigment with potassium sulfate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride in a specific ratio to create a high-performance light-absorbing system. The light-absorbing coating formed after coating has both high light absorption uniformity and excellent thermal stability. Rust-red (Fe2O3) has strong absorption characteristics in the near-infrared band, which makes the energy distribution more balanced. When irradiated by laser, the coating undergoes controllable vaporization and decomposition, generating a continuous and stable high-pressure shock wave. It replaces the traditional heat conduction melting with "mechanical ablation", realizing cold processing and greatly reducing the heat-affected zone. It is suitable for scenarios with high crystallinity requirements. In addition, the light-absorbing material is composed of inorganic materials. There is no organic carbonization residue after laser treatment. The adhesion between the residue and the substrate is significantly reduced after processing. It can be completely removed by washing with water at room temperature. No high-temperature treatment is required, and it will not have an adverse effect on subsequent processing.
[0018] (2) The alumina ceramic substrate processed by the technical solution of the present invention has a 0% breakage rate, no slag adhesion and microcrack defects, which is significantly better than traditional organic dyes and carbon-based materials. In the post-processing stage, 100% of the residue can be removed by ultrasonic cleaning at room temperature for 3 minutes without high-temperature calcination. Compared with the traditional process, it saves more than 90% of energy consumption, shortens the processing cycle by 70%, and the substrate insulation and mechanical strength are not reduced, which fully meets the application requirements of high-precision electronic components.
[0019] (3) The technical solution of the present invention simplifies the processing flow. It only requires first fully wetting the sponge or brush with an alcohol solvent, and then dipping the wetted sponge or brush into the light-absorbing material and wiping it onto the surface of the pretreated alumina ceramic substrate. Compared with the traditional process, the steps of this solution are reduced by more than 60%, the operation difficulty is significantly reduced, and the processing cycle of a single batch can be shortened from 8~10h to 2~3h in mass production, which has certain application value. Attached Figure Description
[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0021] Figure 1 This is a photograph of the appearance of the ceramic substrate after scribing and cleaning, as shown in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 2 This is a photograph of the appearance of the ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 1 after scribing and cleaning.
[0023] Figure 3 This is a photograph of the appearance of the ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 2 after scribing and cleaning.
[0024] Figure 4This is a photograph of the ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 3 after scribing and cleaning.
[0025] Figure 5 This is a scribing spot photograph of the ceramic substrate in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 6 This is a scribe line photograph of the ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 1 of this invention.
[0027] Figure 7 This is a scribe line photograph of the ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 2 of this invention. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0029] Example 1 Light-absorbing material: Prepare the light-absorbing material according to the following mass percentages: 90% potassium sulfate, 5% sodium chloride, 4% potassium chloride, and 1% rust red inorganic pigment (Fe2O3, average particle size 0.5μm).
[0030] Processing steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Take a sponge, completely wet it with alcohol, dip it in the light-absorbing material powder, and apply it to the clean substrate surface by wiping at a uniform speed to finally form a light-absorbing coating with a thickness of about 5μm.
[0031] S3. Fix the coated substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 150mm / s for a single scan.
[0032] S4. Place the scribing-processed product in room temperature deionized water for ultrasonic cleaning for 3 minutes.
[0033] Example 2 Light-absorbing material: Prepare the light-absorbing material according to the following mass percentages: 90% potassium sulfate, 6% sodium chloride, 2% potassium chloride, and 2% rust red inorganic pigment (Fe2O3, average particle size 0.3μm).
[0034] Processing steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Take a sponge brush, completely wet it with isopropyl alcohol, dip it in the light-absorbing material powder, and apply it to the clean substrate surface by wiping at a uniform speed to finally form a light-absorbing coating with a thickness of about 3μm.
[0035] S3. Fix the coated substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 120mm / s for a single scan.
[0036] S4. Place the scribing-processed product in room temperature deionized water for ultrasonic cleaning for 2 minutes.
[0037] Example 3 Light-absorbing material: Prepare the light-absorbing material according to the following mass percentages: 90% potassium sulfate, 4% sodium chloride, 3% potassium chloride, and 3% rust red inorganic pigment (Fe2O3, average particle size 0.3μm).
[0038] Processing steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Take a sponge, completely wet it with isopropyl alcohol, dip it in the light-absorbing material powder, and apply it to the clean substrate surface by wiping at a uniform speed to finally form a light-absorbing coating with a thickness of about 1μm.
[0039] S3. Fix the coated substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 180mm / s for a single scan.
[0040] S4. Place the scribing-processed product in room temperature deionized water for ultrasonic cleaning for 5 minutes.
[0041] Comparative Example 1 Light-absorbing material: Acid Red dye.
[0042] Processing steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Take a sponge, completely wet it with isopropanol, dip it in acid red dye, and apply it to the clean substrate surface by wiping at a uniform speed to form a light-absorbing coating with a thickness of about 5μm.
[0043] S3. Fix the coated substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 150mm / s for a single scan.
[0044] S4. Place the scribing product in room temperature deionized water and sonicate for 3 minutes. The surface pigment cannot be completely removed. Then, use a muffle furnace to treat it at 700°C for 5 hours. The coating on the substrate surface can be completely removed.
[0045] Comparative Example 2 Light-absorbing material: carbon ink.
[0046] Processing steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Take a sponge, completely wet it with isopropyl alcohol, dip it in carbon ink, and apply it to the clean substrate surface by wiping at a uniform speed to form a light-absorbing coating with a thickness of about 5μm.
[0047] S3. Fix the coated substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 150mm / s for a single scan.
[0048] S4. Place the scribing product in room temperature deionized water and sonicate for 3 minutes. The surface pigment cannot be completely removed. Then, use a muffle furnace to treat it at 700°C for 7 hours. The coating on the substrate surface can be completely removed.
[0049] Comparative Example 3 The alumina ceramic substrate of Comparative Example 3 was not coated with a light-absorbing material, and the processing steps were as follows: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. Fix the clean alumina ceramic substrate onto the laser scribing platform. Use an infrared laser with a power of 12W and a scanning speed of 150mm / s for a single scan.
[0050] Results test: (1) Sample breakage rate test and analysis Streak analysis was performed on samples from Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-3, and the test data are shown in Table 1.
[0051] Table 1. Streak patterns of samples from Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-3
[0052] As can be seen from the data in Table 1, the breakage rate of Examples 1-3 is 0%, indicating that the light-absorbing coating absorbs laser energy uniformly and stably, fully meeting the continuity requirements of precision scribing. The breakage rate of Comparative Example 1 is 3.5%, indicating that the light absorption efficiency of organic dye fluctuates greatly, and insufficient local energy will lead to scribing interruption, resulting in poor processing stability. The breakage rate of Comparative Example 2 is 12%, indicating that the runaway exothermic reaction of carbon-based material combustion will interfere with the stable transmission of laser energy, and the accumulation of slag will easily obstruct the laser path, leading to a significant increase in the risk of breakage. The breakage rate of Comparative Example 3 is 100%, indicating that without the light-absorbing coating, the substrate has too high a laser reflectivity, and the energy cannot reach the material removal threshold, making it impossible to form continuous scratches.
[0053] (2) Sample appearance test and analysis Example 1: A photograph of the product's appearance after scrubbing and cleaning. Figure 1 As shown. By Figure 1 As can be seen, the substrate has a uniform and clean white appearance, without any residual color stains or dirt, indicating that the rust red composite coating residue can be completely removed by washing with room temperature water, and the cleaning process does not damage the surface of the substrate.
[0054] Comparative Example 1: Product appearance photo after scrubbing (as shown) Figure 2 As shown. By Figure 2 It can be seen that a light red mark remains on the surface of the substrate after washing, indicating that the acid red organic dye has poor water solubility and cannot be completely removed by washing at room temperature, requiring high-temperature treatment.
[0055] Comparative Example 2: Product appearance photo after scrubbing (as shown) Figure 3 As shown. By Figure 3 It can be seen that after washing, the substrate surface has residual gray-black carbon deposits, and the appearance is grayish. The carbon residue formed by the carbon-based material under the action of laser has strong adhesion and is difficult to peel off by washing at room temperature.
[0056] Comparative Example 3: Photos of the product's appearance after scrubbing. Figure 4 As shown. By Figure 4 As can be seen, the appearance shows scattered burn marks and no continuous scratches, indicating that without the light-absorbing coating, the laser energy cannot be effectively applied to the substrate, and the processing is completely unsuccessful.
[0057] (3) Analysis of line-scribing spot test Example 1: Sample scribing spot photograph as shown Figure 5 As shown. By Figure 5 It can be seen that the edges of the scratches in the sample spot area are smooth, without burrs or slag accumulation, showing uniform mechanical erosion marks.
[0058] Comparative Example 1: Sample scribing spot photograph as shown Figure 6 As shown. By Figure 6It can be seen that the sample spot shows blurred diffusion marks at the edge, indicating that the organic dye absorbs light unevenly, and the local energy concentration leads to slight thermal melting and irregular scratches.
[0059] Comparative Example 2: Sample streaking spot photograph as shown Figure 7 As shown. By Figure 7 It can be seen that there is obvious slag adhesion around the sample spot. The exothermic combustion of carbon-based materials causes ceramic melting, producing a large number of by-products, which seriously affects the processing accuracy.
[0060] In summary, the light-absorbing material used in this invention is significantly superior to traditional organic dyes (such as Acid Red) and carbon-based materials in terms of scribing quality, post-processing efficiency, and processing stability. The results of Examples 1-3 demonstrate that this material not only achieves high-precision scribing with continuous, unbroken lines and clean, regular edges, but also completely solves the problem of difficult-to-remove residues after processing with traditional organic dyes and carbon-based materials. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for high-temperature post-processing, simplifying the process.
[0061] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various equivalent modifications or substitutions can be made to the embodiments of the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the invention, and such modifications or substitutions should all be within the scope of the present invention. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should also be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates, characterized in that, The light-absorbing material comprises the following components by mass percentage: 80%~90% potassium sulfate, 5%~7% sodium chloride, 2%~4% potassium chloride, and 1%~3% rust red inorganic pigment, with the sum of the amounts of each component being 100%.
2. The light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The light-absorbing material comprises the following components by weight percentage: 90% potassium sulfate, 5% sodium chloride, 4% potassium chloride, and 1% rust red inorganic pigment.
3. A light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The main component of the rust red inorganic pigment is Fe2O3, with an average particle size of 0.2~5μm.
4. The light-absorbing material for laser cold processing of alumina ceramic substrates as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The average particle size of the rust red inorganic pigment is 0.2~2μm.
5. A laser cold processing method for an alumina ceramic substrate, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Remove alumina ceramic substrates with appearance defects through visual inspection and prepare alumina ceramic substrates with acceptable appearance. S2. The light-absorbing material as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 is coated onto the surface of an alumina ceramic substrate with acceptable appearance to form a light-absorbing coating. S3. Use an infrared laser to scribing alumina ceramic substrate coated with a light-absorbing coating; S4. Place the alumina ceramic substrate after the scribing process in step S3 into deionized water and ultrasonically clean it for 2-5 minutes.
6. The processing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In step S2, the light-absorbing material is coated by first completely wetting the carrier with a solvent, then dipping the wetted carrier into the light-absorbing material and coating it onto the surface of an alumina ceramic substrate with acceptable appearance by wiping.
7. The processing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The carrier is a sponge or a brush.
8. The processing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The solvent is one or more alcohols.
9. The processing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In step S2, the average thickness of the light-absorbing coating is 0.8~5μm.
10. The processing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In step S3, the laser power of the infrared laser is 10~200W, the scanning speed is 100~300mm / s, and it is a single scan.