Substrate and laser processing device

Abstract

substrate (100, 200, 300) containing: a first surface (102) and a second surface (104) which faces away from the first surface (102); a plurality of through holes extending from the first surface (102) to the second surface (104), wherein the plurality of through holes includes a first through hole (106); wherein each of the through holes in the first surface (102) forms a first opening (108) and in the second surface (104) forms a second opening (110); where the first opening (108) defines a first center point (118) and the second opening (110) defines a second center point (120); wherein for the first through hole (106) a connecting line between the first center point (118) and the second center point (120) with a normal (128) to the first surface (102) forms an acute angle (130, 133).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of creating through holes in a substrate, in particular a glass substrate. BACKGROUND

[0002] US 2020 / 0303188 A1 discloses a method for producing a glass substrate having through-holes through the glass, the method comprising: irradiating a glass substrate with a laser beam to form a modified portion. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the situation described above, there may be a need for a technique which allows to provide a substrate and a method for its manufacture with improved characteristics.

[0004] This need can be addressed by the independent claims. Some advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a substrate is provided.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, a substrate is provided, the substrate comprising: a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface; a plurality of through-holes extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the plurality of through-holes comprises a first through-hole; wherein each of the through-holes forms a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface; wherein the first opening defines a first center point and the second opening defines a second center point; wherein, for the first through-hole, a connecting line between the first center point and the second center point forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a method is provided.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, a method is provided, comprising: providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface; weakening the substrate in a region in which substrate material is to be removed by irradiating it with a laser beam; wherein an emission path of the laser beam is located on the first surface at a first position; and wherein the emission path forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface.

[0009] According to a third aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a laser processing apparatus is provided.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, a laser processing device is provided, the laser processing device comprising: a substrate holder for receiving a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an actuator assembly operable to move an emission path of the laser beam relative to the substrate; a control device; wherein the control device is configured to control the actuator assembly and thereby position the emission path of the laser beam into a first beam path position, in which the emission path is positioned in a first position on the first surface; wherein the control device is configured to cause a laser beam to be emitted along the emission path in the first beam path position, thereby creating a first attenuated region in the substrate;wherein the radiation path in the first radiation path position forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface; DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Although certain disadvantages of prior technologies are mentioned herein, the claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited to implementations that overcome some or all of the noted disadvantages of the prior technologies. Furthermore, although certain advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein are mentioned or implied in the present disclosure, the claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited to implementations that have some or all of those advantages.

[0012] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein are described, for example, with reference to a substrate, a method, and a laser processing apparatus. It should be emphasized that any combination of features of different aspects, embodiments, and examples is, of course, possible. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to a method, while other embodiments are described with reference to an apparatus. Yet other embodiments are described with reference to a substrate, while other embodiments are described with reference to a control device for interacting with elements of the laser processing apparatus.However, those skilled in the art will appreciate from the above and following description, claims, and drawings that, unless otherwise stated, features of various aspects, embodiments, and examples may be combined, and such combinations of features are to be considered disclosed herein. For example, even a feature relating to a method may be combined with a feature relating to a device, and vice versa.

[0013] Exemplary implementations of the subject matter disclosed herein include, in particular, one or more of the embodiments and combinations of embodiments described herein.

[0014] According to one embodiment, a substrate according to the first aspect has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface. According to one embodiment, the first surface and the second surface are main surfaces of the substrate. According to another embodiment, the substrate has a plurality of through holes (vias), each extending from the first surface to the second surface. According to one embodiment, the plurality of through holes comprises a first through hole. According to one embodiment, each of the through holes forms a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface. In other words, each through hole forms a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface.Unless otherwise stated, reference to a first opening and a second opening always refers to the openings of the same (ie a single) through-hole, for example the first through-hole.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the first opening defines a first center point and the second opening defines a second center point. According to one embodiment, for the first through-hole, a connecting line between the first center point and the second center point forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface. In other words, according to one embodiment, the first opening and the second opening of each through-hole define an (imaginary) connecting line which extends between the first center point and the second center point, wherein according to a further embodiment, for the first through-hole, the connecting line forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface (for example, a normal to a plane of the first surface).According to one embodiment, the normal to the first surface is an imaginary line which, at the position of the first center point, is perpendicular to the plane of the first surface (i.e., perpendicular to a plane defined by the first surface). It is understood that the first opening is located at the position of the first center point and, consequently, the first surface is not (or no longer) present at the position of the first center point. Nevertheless, the normal to the first surface at the position of the first center point can be determined, for example by interpolating the first surface to the position of the normal, for example to the position of the first center point or the projected center point. In one embodiment, this corresponds to a normal to the plane of the first surface.

[0016] According to one embodiment, a projection referred to herein is always perpendicular to the first surface or perpendicular to a plane of the first surface, unless explicitly stated otherwise. According to one embodiment, a reference to the first surface herein is a reference to a plane spanned by the first surface. According to one embodiment, a reference to a through-hole herein is a reference to the first through-hole.

[0017] According to one embodiment, a method according to the second aspect comprises providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises weakening the substrate in a region in which substrate material is to be removed by irradiating it with a laser beam. According to a further embodiment, an emission path of the laser beam is located (for example at a specific point in time) on the first surface at a first position, wherein the emission path encloses an acute angle with a normal to the first surface (or a normal to a plane of the first surface).

[0018] According to one embodiment, when the radiation path is in the first position on the first surface, it is located at a second position on the second surface (of course, at the same specific time). According to one embodiment, a line connecting the first position and the second position forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface (for example, at the first position) or with a normal to a plane of the first surface.

[0019] According to one embodiment, a laser processing device according to the third aspect comprises a substrate holder for receiving a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface. According to a further embodiment, the laser processing device comprises an actuator arrangement operable to move an emission path of the laser beam relative to the substrate. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the laser processing device comprises a control device. According to one embodiment, the control device is configured to control the actuator arrangement and thereby position the emission path of the laser beam into a first beam path position in which the emission path impinges on the first surface in a first position.According to one embodiment, the control device is configured to cause a laser beam to be emitted along the emission path in the first beam path position and thereby create a first attenuated region in the substrate.

[0020] At least some of the aspects and embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein are based on the idea that the efficiency of producing through-holes in a substrate can be increased by providing an inclination of the through-holes, at least in certain regions of the substrate. In this way, the positioning of the laser beam on a surface (e.g., the first surface) of the substrate can be achieved at least partially by a scanner that pivots the laser beam relative to the substrate. Using a scanner allows a large number of through-holes to be produced per unit of time, thereby making substrate production more efficient.

[0021] According to one embodiment, a projection of the second center point into the first surface (or into a plane of the first surface) in a direction perpendicular to the first surface (or the plane) defines a projected center point, wherein the first center point and the projected center point define a vector extending from the first center point to the projected center point. This vector is also referred to herein as a hole vector and, in one embodiment, indicates an offset of the second opening relative to the first opening of a through-hole. According to one embodiment, the vector (also referred to herein as a hole vector) has a length that is at least 1 µm for the first through-hole. According to one embodiment, the hole vector of the first through-hole has a length that is at least 2 µm or at least 3 µm.According to a further embodiment, the length of the hole vector of the first through-hole is at most 30 µm, for example, at most 20 µm. According to a further embodiment, the length of the hole vector of the first through-hole is at most 10 µm, for example, at most 5 µm.

[0022] Depending on a size of a first contact region for the through-hole in the first surface and a second contact region for the through-hole in the second surface, the hole vector must be taken into account when positioning the contact regions (for example by structuring an electrically conductive layer (e.g. a metallization layer) on the first surface and the second surface). For example, according to one embodiment, at least one of the first contact region and the second contact region can be dimensioned in such a way that a metallization of the through-hole (or generally an electrically conductive material in the through-hole) establishes electrical contact between the first contact region and the second contact region. According to a further embodiment, the first contact region and the second contact region can be positioned relative to one another such that a metallization (orThe electrically conductive material (i.e., the electrically conductive material) of the through-hole establishes electrical contact between the first contact region and the second contact region. For example, the second contact region can be shifted by the hole vector relative to the position of the first contact region. In other words, according to one embodiment, it can be provided that the first opening of the through-hole is formed in the first contact region and that the second opening of the through-hole is formed in the second contact region.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the center point of the first opening and the center point of the second opening (of a through-hole) define a first vector (which extends, for example, from the first opening to the second opening). According to a further embodiment, a second vector is defined as a projection of the first vector onto the first surface (or onto a plane of the first surface). In any case, in the embodiment in which the first vector extends from the first through-hole to the second through-hole, the second vector corresponds to the hole vector defined above. Consequently, in one embodiment, the same numerical specifications apply to the length of the second vector as to embodiments of the hole vector. For example, according to one embodiment, the second vector for the first through-hole has a length of at least 1 µm.

[0024] Accordingly, according to one embodiment, in a method according to the second aspect, the emission path of the laser beam is positioned on the first surface in the first position and extends through the substrate to a second position on the second surface. According to one embodiment, the embodiments for the first center point and the second center point of a through-hole apply analogously to the first position and the second position of the emission path. For example, a projection of the second position of the emission path onto the first surface (or into a plane of the first surface) in a direction perpendicular to the first surface (orperpendicular to the plane of the first surface) a projected second position, wherein the first position and the projected second position define a vector which extends from the first position to the projected second position and which, according to one embodiment, has a length which, for a first weakened region (in which the first through-hole is created), has a length of at least 1 µm.

[0025] Accordingly, according to one embodiment, in a laser processing device according to the third aspect, the emission path of the laser beam is positioned in the first beam path position, in which the emission path is positioned in a first position on the first surface and in which the emission path is positioned in a second position on the second surface. Consequently, the first position on the first surface and the second position on the second surface uniquely define a spatial position of the emission path with respect to the substrate, and vice versa. As already explained with regard to the method according to the second aspect, according to one embodiment, the embodiments for the first center point and the second center point of a through-hole apply analogously to the first position and the second position of the emission path of a laser processing device according to the third aspect.For example, in a laser processing device according to the third aspect, a projection of the second position of the emission path into the first surface (or a plane of the first surface) in a direction perpendicular to the first surface (or in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first surface) also defines a projected second position, wherein the first position and the projected second position define a vector which extends from the first position to the projected second position and which, according to one embodiment, has a length which, for a first weakened region (in which the first through-hole is created), has a length of at least 1 µm.

[0026] According to a further embodiment, the control device is configured to control the actuator arrangement and thereby move the emission path from the first beam path position to a second beam path position, in which the emission path impinges on the first surface in a further position. According to a further embodiment, moving the emission path from the first beam path position to the second beam path position comprises pivoting the emission path with respect to the first surface. According to a further embodiment, the control device is configured to cause a laser beam to be emitted along the emission path in the second beam path position and thereby create a second attenuated region in the substrate, wherein the emission path in the second beam path position, according to one embodiment, forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface.

[0027] According to one embodiment, positioning the laser beam on the first surface comprises pivoting the beam path relative to the substrate. According to one embodiment, pivoting changes the angle that the laser beam forms with the first surface of the substrate.

[0028] According to one embodiment, a weakened region in the substrate created by the laser beam (for example, the first weakened region) is at least partially removed by an etching process, thereby creating a through-hole in the substrate. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises applying an etchant to the substrate to remove the weakened region and thereby create a through-hole. The position and orientation of a weakened region therefore corresponds to the position and orientation of a through-hole created in the weakened region, and vice versa. In this respect, embodiments relating to a through-hole also apply analogously to the corresponding weakened region in the substrate, and vice versa.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the etchant is a liquid etchant, such as a potassium hydroxide solution (KOH) or hydrofluoric acid (HF).

[0030] According to one embodiment, the substrate has at least one of the following features: the substrate is a glass substrate; the substrate has a largest dimension that is between 100 mm and 650 mm; the largest dimension is a diameter or an edge length of the substrate; the substrate has a thickness between 10 µm and 4 mm; the first through-hole has an average diameter between 1 µm and 1000 µm; starting from the first surface, the first through-hole tapers; a wall of the first through-hole forms an angle of less than 30 degrees with a normal to the first surface; averaged over the substrate, a hole density is between 0.01 and 1000 through-holes per square millimeter; the hole density is at most 10,000 through-holes per square millimeter. According to one embodiment, the glass substrate can be rectangular or, in another embodiment, round, for example, circular.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the substrate is formed from a material that is at least partially transparent in the visible spectral range. According to one embodiment, the substrate is formed from a material that is at least partially amorphous (ie, non-crystalline).

[0032] According to one embodiment, at least for the first through-hole, at least one of the first opening and the second opening has a smallest diameter and a largest diameter, wherein the largest diameter is at least a factor of 1.5 larger than the smallest diameter. For example, according to one embodiment, at least one of the first opening and the second opening (ie, the first opening and / or the second opening) is formed in the shape of an ellipse, wherein the minor semi-axis of the ellipse defines the smallest diameter of the respective opening and the major semi-axis of the ellipse defines the largest diameter of the respective opening.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the largest diameter can be at least a factor of two (factor 2) larger than the smallest diameter. According to another embodiment, the largest diameter can be at least a factor of three (factor 3) larger than the smallest diameter.

[0034] According to one embodiment, for the first through-hole, a largest diameter of the first opening differs from a largest diameter of the second opening. According to another embodiment, the largest diameter of the second opening differs from the largest diameter of the first opening by at most 90%.

[0035] In other words, the largest diameter of the second opening lies in an interval between 0.1 times the largest diameter of the first opening and 1.9 times the largest diameter of the first opening. According to one embodiment, the largest diameter of the second opening differs from the largest diameter of the first opening by at most 90%.

[0036] According to one embodiment, a thickness variation of the substrate is less than 200 µm. For example, the substrate has a smallest thickness and a largest thickness, wherein the difference between the largest thickness and the smallest thickness is less than 200 µm. According to one embodiment, the thickness variation of the substrate is less than 150 µm, for example, less than 100 µm.

[0037] According to one embodiment, a roughness Ra of the first surface and / or the second surface is less than 200 nm. According to one embodiment, the roughness Ra of the first surface and / or the second surface is less than 100 nm.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the substrate comprises at least one of the following: borosilicate glass; alkali-free glass; alkali silicate glass; quartz glass, float glass; deep-drawn glass; glass-ceramic. According to one embodiment, the substrate may be a laser-cut substrate. For example, a contour of the substrate may be generated by a laser process, for example, according to any level of detail as described in one or more of the applicant's patents DE 10 2016 213802 A1, EP 4 344 816 A1, WO 2016 / 062303 A1, WO 2020 / 182785 A1.

[0039] According to one embodiment, at least one of the through-holes has an electrically conductive material. According to one embodiment, at least one of the through-holes is coated or filled with the electrically conductive material. According to a further embodiment, the electrically conductive material is introduced into the through-hole from both sides, i.e. from the first surface as well as from the second surface. According to a further embodiment, the electrically conductive material is introduced into the through-hole from only one side, for example from the first surface or from the second surface. According to a further embodiment, the electrically conductive material comprises at least one of copper, silver, aluminum, gold, an alloy which comprises at least one of copper, silver, aluminum, gold, etc.According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive material can be introduced into the through-hole or applied to a wall of the through-hole, for example by electroplating and / or electroless deposition.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the first surface and / or the second surface comprises a further electrically conductive material which is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive material in the at least one of the through-holes. According to one embodiment, the first surface comprises a first electrically conductive layer and the second surface comprises a second electrically conductive layer. According to one embodiment, the first electrically conductive layer and / or the second electrically conductive layer is structured to form electrically conductive paths (also referred to herein as conductive tracks). According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductive tracks.According to one embodiment, a first electrically conductive path on the first surface is an electrically conductive path into which the first through-hole opens and / or which is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive material of the first through-hole. According to a further embodiment, a second electrically conductive path on the second surface is an electrically conductive path into which the first through-hole opens and / or which is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive material of the first through-hole. According to one embodiment, an electrically conductive path on the first surface is electrically conductively connected (for example, galvanically connected) to an electrically conductive path on the second surface via the electrically conductive material in the through-hole.

[0041] Structuring of the first or second electrically conductive layer can be carried out, for example, by an etching process or any other suitable process.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive paths, in particular the first electrically conductive path and the second electrically conductive path, have a width between 1 µm and 500 µm. According to another embodiment, the electrically conductive path is widened in the region of the through-hole. According to one embodiment, a distance between two conductive paths (i.e., a clear width between two conductive paths) is at least 1 µm, for example, at least 2 µm or at least 5 µm.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the substrate forms one layer of a multilayer substrate arrangement, such as a circuit board (PCB), an interposer, a chip package substrate, etc. According to a further embodiment, the multilayer substrate arrangement comprises a plurality of electrically insulating layers and a plurality of electrically conductive layers, wherein the substrate forms one of the electrically insulating layers.

[0044] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the through-holes forms a digital code pattern. According to one embodiment, the digital code pattern is, for example, a one-dimensional digital code pattern (e.g., a barcode). According to another embodiment, the digital code pattern is a two-dimensional digital code pattern, for example, a QR code or a data matrix code. According to one embodiment, the digital code pattern identifies the substrate. For example, according to one embodiment, a serial number is encoded in the digital code pattern.

[0045] According to a further embodiment, each through-hole of a first subset of the plurality of through-holes has a first opening whose surface area lies in a first range, and each through-hole of a second subset of the plurality of through-holes has a first opening whose surface area lies in a second range, wherein the first range and the second range do not overlap. According to one embodiment, a diameter of the first opening among the plurality of through-holes varies by less than 30%, for example, less than 20%.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the laser beam has one or more parameters in the following parameter ranges: (a) a wavelength of the laser is, in one embodiment, one of: 355 nm, 515 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm, 1070 nm, 1090 nm; (b) a pulse frequency of the laser is, according to one embodiment, between 1 Hz and 100 kHz; (c) according to one embodiment, a pulse energy of the laser is between 10µJ and 1000µJ and / or a pulse duration is between 100 femtoseconds (100 fs) and 20 nanoseconds (for example between 100 femtoseconds and 100 picoseconds (100 ps); (d) according to one embodiment, the laser beam is subjected to beam shaping: by suitable measures, an effective range increased by a factor of 2 or more in the propagation direction compared to the Gaussian diffraction limit can be achieved, e.g. by the use of refractive or diffractive optical elements for locally different changes in the phase relationship and / or by the use of polarization optics for locally different changes in the polarization state; (e) according to one embodiment, a non-linear absorption of the laser beam takes place in the substrate (for example by a suitable choice of

[0047] Pulse energy, pulse duration and focusing), ie the substrate absorbs more laser energy than would be expected from a linear absorption coefficient; (f) According to a further embodiment, a speed-optimized path is calculated for positioning the laser beam on the substrate, for example on the first surface of the substrate, for example by a combination of mechanical axes (actuators) and a scanner which pivots the laser beam, for example by moving a mirror. For example, the positioning of the laser beam on the substrate can be carried out line by line, with a movement from line to line being carried out by a mechanical axis or a mechanical actuator, and a movement along the line being carried out by a scanner. According to one embodiment, at least one mechanical axis and at least one scanner axis are moved simultaneously, for example always simultaneously. According to one embodiment, a linear axis and two scanner axes are moved synchronously.In this way, for example, the inert linear axis can travel at a constant (or only slightly varying) speed without having to stop for each line.

[0048] In general, a movement requiring high speed or high acceleration can be performed with a scanner, since a scanner allows higher speeds and accelerations (e.g., a position of the radiation path on the first surface) than a mechanical axis. For example, according to one embodiment, a change of direction greater than 5 degrees (>5°) occurs 100 times more frequently in the scanner than in the mechanical axes. According to another embodiment, a change of speed greater than 10 percent (>10%) occurs 100 times more frequently in the scanner than in the axes.

[0049] According to one embodiment, a method disclosed herein is carried out for a plurality of substrates that are stacked one above the other (and thereby form a substrate stack). For example, the processing of a plurality of substrates can take place simultaneously using a single laser pulse (depending, for example, on the thickness of the substrates and the available pulse energy of the laser pulses). According to a further embodiment, the processing of a plurality of substrates (e.g., in a single beam path position) can take place one after the other, wherein a focus shift can be used to process a plurality of substrates stacked one above the other. For example, the focus can initially be on or into a first substrate that has a first surface that is opposite a laser output device.By shifting the focus, at least one further substrate can then be processed, which lies opposite a second side of a first substrate facing away from the first side. According to one embodiment, a weakened region can also extend over more than one substrate. For example, in one embodiment, two laser pulses may be required to process three substrates. In this case, for example, a first focus can be placed on a surface of a substrate which lies opposite the beam delivery device. A second focus can then be placed on the center (i.e., half the thickness) of the second substrate in order to create the corresponding weakened region in all three substrates.

[0050] By processing at least two substrates stacked on top of each other, cycle time can be reduced because, in one embodiment, positioning the substrate relative to the laser beam is only required once to create a corresponding attenuation region in each of the substrates. Even if fine adjustment of the position of the beam path of each of the substrates in the substrate stack is necessary (depending on the thickness of the substrate and the required positioning accuracy), a time saving is still achieved compared to processing each substrate individually.

[0051] Similarly, a substrate of great thickness can also be processed with a focus shift if the pulse energy is insufficient to create a weakened region extending through the entire thickness of the substrate. In this case, for example, two or more pulses can be emitted along the emission path. In one embodiment, the position of the emission path relative to the substrate is maintained, and the focus is merely adjusted to a different position along the emission path for each of the two or more pulses.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the through-holes are tapered from at least one of the first surface or the second surface in a direction into the substrate, i.e., the first opening or the second opening provides a largest cross-section of the through-hole, which decreases in the direction into the substrate. The tapered cross-section of the through-hole is also referred to herein as a taper.

[0053] The taper can arise, for example, from a material-dependent distribution of the energy deposition and / or from the etching process. According to one embodiment, the taper is at least partially compensated by an asymmetric energy distribution. If, for example, the taper is known due to an etching process, one embodiment counteracts the formation of the taper by a correspondingly adjusted energy distribution in the beam cross-section and / or along the emission path.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the control device comprises a memory for a computer program product and a processor device for executing a program element of the computer program product. According to one embodiment, the computer program product comprises a program element that, when executed on the processor device, is configured to execute a method according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the program element is a non-transient program element. According to another embodiment, the computer program product is a non-transient computer program product.

[0056] As used herein, reference to a computer program product comprising a program element is considered equivalent to reference to a computer program comprising a program element and / or a computer-readable medium comprising a program element. According to one embodiment, the program element comprises instructions for controlling a processor device (having one or more microprocessors, e.g., a computer system) to effect and / or coordinate the execution of at least one method described herein.

[0057] The (non-transient) program element may be implemented as computer-readable instruction code using any suitable programming language, such as JAVA, C#, Python, etc., and may be stored on a computer-readable medium (removable disk, volatile or non-volatile memory, embedded memory / processor, etc.). According to one embodiment, the instruction code is executable for programming a computer or any other programmable processor device to perform the intended functions. The computer program may be available on a network, such as the World Wide Web, from which it may be downloaded, for example.

[0058] According to one embodiment, a control device disclosed herein can be implemented using a computer program product (program element) or software. However, a control device disclosed herein can also be implemented using one or more specific electronic circuits or hardware. Furthermore, a control device disclosed herein can also be implemented in hybrid form, i.e., in a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0059] According to embodiments of the first aspect, the substrate is configured to implement one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, to provide the functionality of one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required for one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required by one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, in particular the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, and / or the third aspect.

[0060] According to embodiments of the second aspect, the method is configured to implement one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, to provide the functionality of one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required for one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required by one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, in particular the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, and / or the third aspect.

[0061] According to embodiments of the third aspect, the laser processing device is configured to implement one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, to provide the functionality of one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required for one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, and / or to provide the functionality as required by one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein, in particular the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, and / or the third aspect.

[0062] It is noted that a reference to an aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein naturally also includes a reference to one or more embodiments of the aspect. For example, the statement that reference is made to a method according to the second aspect includes embodiments according to which the referenced method is configured according to one or more embodiments of the second aspect (and / or the first aspect and / or the third aspect).

[0063] Unless otherwise stated, numerical values ​​are to be understood including a ±5% window, ie, for example, a specification of 1 µm according to one embodiment comprises a length within an interval of (1 µm ± 5% of 1 µm) = [0.95 µm; 1.05 µm], and a percentage of 50% according to one embodiment comprises a percentage within an interval of 50% ± 5% of 50% = [47.5%; 52.5%]. According to a further embodiment, numerical values ​​and / or percentages are to be understood including a ±10% window.

[0064] According to one embodiment, a method disclosed herein may define the functionality of a device disclosed herein without being limited to the device-specific features. Therefore, any functionality of a device disclosed herein disclosed herein is intended to implicitly disclose a corresponding method defined exclusively by the disclosed functionality. Conversely, according to one embodiment, a method disclosed herein may be performed with any suitable known device (which may comprise a single element or multiple cooperating elements). Therefore, any method disclosed herein is intended to implicitly disclose a corresponding device configured to perform the method.

[0065] A general reference to embodiments (for example of a substrate), for example by the formulation “according to at least one embodiment”, by the formulation “according to one or more embodiments” or the formulation “according to embodiments”, in particular also includes the combination of features of a corresponding independent claim without further restrictions (for example the substrate according to claim 1).

[0066] Unless expressly stated otherwise, a listing of features or process steps according to one embodiment does not yet define an order of the features or process steps in the order of the listing. According to another embodiment, a listing of features or process steps defines an order of the features or process steps as specified in the listing.

[0067] Above, in some embodiments, reference was made to a feature with the indefinite article upon its first occurrence, e.g., both when describing embodiments of the first aspect and when describing embodiments of the second aspect. However, it should be understood that the use of the indefinite article or the use of the definite article in this disclosure is not limiting and that a feature referred to in different embodiments, regardless of whether it is referred to with the defined article or with the indefinite article, in any case refers to the same feature in at least one embodiment and therefore, in a combination of different embodiments, the feature may be referenced with the indefinite article upon its first occurrence and with the definite article upon further occurrences of the feature.Furthermore, according to one embodiment, a feature referred to by the specific article may be formed without the previously described embodiments. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first aspect and the second aspect are two different aspects of the same subject matter.

[0068] It should be noted that, unless expressly stated otherwise, numerals (first, second, third, etc.) serve merely to identify various elements (e.g., surfaces, positions, openings, through-holes, etc.) without the numerals implying an order of method steps and without the numerals requiring or implying the existence of any of the other various elements. For example, a reference alone to a second surface does not require that a first surface be created before the second. Furthermore, a reference to a second through-hole, for example, does not require that a first through-hole already be present or even provided.

[0069] Further advantages and features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following exemplary description of currently preferred embodiments, to which the claimed subject matter is not limited, however. The individual figures of the drawings in this document are to be considered merely schematic and not to scale. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a substrate according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. Fig. 2 shows another substrate according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a plan view. Fig. 3 shows a portion of a substrate according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a longitudinal sectional view perpendicular to a first surface of the substrate. Fig. 4 shows another substrate according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. Fig. 5 shows a substrate according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a plan view. The Fig. 6 to Fig. 9 illustrate a method of manufacturing a substrate according to embodiments of the subject matters disclosed herein. Fig. 10 shows a laser processing apparatus according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. Fig. 11 shows a substrate stack according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements or components are provided with the same reference numerals, or with reference numerals that differ only in the leading digit. Such features or components that are the same or at least functionally equivalent to the corresponding features or components in another figure are only described in detail at their first occurrence in the following text, and the description is not repeated for subsequent occurrences of these features and components (or the corresponding reference numerals). If an element appears multiple times in a drawing (for example, an opening), in some cases not all elements are provided with reference numerals to increase clarity. Of course, the corresponding description also applies to elements not provided with a reference number.

[0071] It is understood that an exemplary implementation of the elements described below and provided with reference numerals is shown in the relevant drawings and is configured according to the following description, unless otherwise stated.

[0072] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the substrate 100 has a first surface 102 and a second surface 104. The substrate 100 has a plurality of through-holes 106 extending from the first surface 102 to the second surface 104. Each through-hole 106 has a first opening 108 and a second opening 110. According to one embodiment, the substrate 100 is rectangular and has a first edge length 112 and a second edge length 114, as well as a thickness 116.

[0074] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the through-holes 106 of the substrate 100 form a digital code pattern. In other words, at least a portion of the through-holes 106 are arranged to form a digital code pattern. For example, in one embodiment, each through-hole forms a module of a first type of digital code pattern. According to another embodiment, the first surface 102 or the second surface 104 forms a second type of digital code pattern. In one embodiment, the first type is a dark module of the code pattern. In other words, in one embodiment, through-holes 106 form dark modules of the digital code pattern, and the first and / or second surfaces form the light modules of the digital code pattern. According to one embodiment, the digital code pattern is a binary code pattern, for example, a QR code or a DataMatrix code.

[0075] Fig. 2 shows another substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a plan view.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the first opening 108 defines a first center point 118 and the second opening 110 defines a second center point 120. A projection of the second center point 120 in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 102 defines, according to one embodiment, a projected center point 122 which, in the vertical plan view, is Fig. 2 is located above the second center point 120 and is therefore separated from it in the illustration in Fig. 2 is not distinguishable.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the first center point 118 and the projected center point 122 define a vector (hole vector) 124 extending from the first center point 118 to the projected center point 122, for example as shown in Fig. 2. It is noted that both through holes 106 shown in Fig. 2, form a first through-hole as described herein. In particular, vector 124 for both through-holes has a length of at least 1 µm.

[0078] Fig. 3 shows a portion of a substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a longitudinal sectional view (section plane perpendicular to the first surface 102).

[0079] In Fig. 3 schematically shows a through-hole 106 having a first opening 108 and a second opening 110. According to one embodiment, a connecting line 126 connecting the center point 118 of the first opening 108 to the second center point 120 of the second opening 110 defines an acute angle 130 with a normal 128 to the first surface 102, for example as schematically shown in Fig. 3. In addition, Fig. 3, the projected center point 122 is additionally shown, which results from a projection of the second center point 120 into the first surface 102 in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 102, for example as in Fig. 3. The projection in a direction perpendicular to the first surface is shown in Fig. 3 by the dashed line at 131. It is understood that, especially at small angles 130, the projection of the second center point 120 lies in the first opening 108, for example as in Fig. 3. Even if the first surface 102 is not physically present in the region of the first opening 108, it is nevertheless uniquely determined by interpolation, for example, from an edge 132 of the first opening 108. In this sense, a projection of the second center point 120 into the first surface 102 is always well-defined and relates to the surface 102 itself as well as to an interpolated first surface in the region of the first opening 108. According to one embodiment, the first center point 118 and the projected center point 122 define the hole vector 124, which extends from the first center point 118 to the projected center point 122, for example as in Fig. 3 shown.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the first center point 118 and the second center point 120 define a first vector 134 extending from the first center point 118 to the second center point 120, for example as shown in Fig. 3. According to another embodiment, the hole vector 124 is defined as a projection of the first vector 134 onto the first surface 102.

[0081] As from Fig. 3, the definitions of the hole vector 124 based on the projected center point 122, based on the first vector 134, and based on the acute angle 130 are equivalent, at least as long as the first surface 102 is a planar surface (or can be considered a planar surface), which is very closely approximated in the case of a substrate. The term "first surface" in the context of the present disclosure refers, in one embodiment, to a plane defined by the first surface 102 of the substrate. The plane defined (spanned) by the first surface 102 can be determined, for example, by curve fitting (fitting a plane equation to the first surface 102 using the least squares method). In this case, the parameters of the plane equation are determined such that the sum of the squares of the distances of the first surface 102 from the plane is minimal.The plane of the first surface can also be determined, for example, by at least three measurement points on the first surface. Three measurement points define the plane exactly. With more than three measurement points, an interpolation method or fitting to a plane equation can be used, as explained above, to determine the plane of the first surface.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the hole vector 124 is defined by the vector extending from the first center point 118 to the projected center point 122. After determining the projected center point 122, the hole vector can be directly measured as the distance between the first center point 118 and the projected center point 122.

[0083] Based on the length |V1| of the first vector 134, the hole vector 124 is obtained according to one embodiment as follows: |LV|=|V1|*sin(alpha) where |LV| denotes the magnitude (ie the length) of the hole vector 124, |V1| denotes the magnitude (ie the length) of the first vector 134, alpha denotes the angle 130 between the normal 128 to the first surface 102 and the connecting line 126 of the first center 118 and the second center 120 (or the first vector 134).

[0084] Because the projection line 131 is also a normal to the first surface 102 and consequently the projection line 131 also includes the angle 133 with the connecting line 126 or the first vector 134, which is identical to the angle 130, as in Fig. 3 shown.

[0085] Instead of the length of the first vector 134, the hole vector 124 can also be determined using the thickness 116 of the substrate 100: |LV|=d*tan(alpha) where |LV| denotes the amount, ie the length of the hole vector 124, d denotes the thickness 116 of the substrate 100, and alpha denotes the angle 130 between the normal 128 to the first surface 102 and the connecting line 126 of the first center point 118 and the second center point 120.

[0086] Of course, using the well-known principles of vector calculus, not only the magnitude, ie the length of the hole vector 124, |LV|, but also the hole vector 124, LV, itself can be determined.

[0087] According to a further embodiment, the hole vector 124 can be determined using the principles of vector calculus. For example, the first vector 134 is first determined, e.g., in coordinate representation (e.g., in Cartesian coordinates), wherein, according to one embodiment, two coordinate axes are expediently selected such that they span the plane of the first surface. In other words, the xy plane of the coordinate system is placed in the plane of the first surface 102. The z direction therefore extends perpendicular to the first plane (i.e., in the projection direction). If the coordinate origin is placed at the first center point, the projection of the first vector 134 into the plane of the first surface (and thus the hole vector 124) can be determined in this coordinate system by setting the third coordinate (i.e., the z coordinate) equal to zero.

[0088] A measurement of the first center point 118 can be performed using optical microscopy, for example, by positioning the focus of the microscope on the first surface 102. A measurement of the projected center point 122 (based on the second center point 120 of the second opening 110) can also be performed using optical microscopy for a transparent substrate 100 according to one embodiment, for example, by focusing on the second surface 104. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, an X-ray image of the substrate 100 can be taken in the region of a through-hole to be measured, for example, by positioning the image plane of the X-ray system parallel to the first surface 102. The X-ray image then naturally contains a projection of the first opening 108 and the second opening 110 into the image plane (in which the X-ray film or the X-ray detector is located).Since X-rays are parallel beams in typical devices, the projection into the image plane corresponds to a projection into the plane of the first surface 102. According to a further embodiment, the substrate 100 can be cut in a plane that runs perpendicular to the first surface 102 through the first center point 118 and the second center point 120, for example, using a diamond saw, and the through-hole 106 can then be measured. According to a further embodiment, the substrate 100 can be measured at least in the region of a through-hole 106 using a computer tomography scanner, and the hole vector 124 can be determined from the tomography data or the images or 3D representation obtained therefrom.

[0089] Fig. 4 shows another substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the through-hole 106 tapers from the first surface 102 (ie, in a direction into the through-hole 106), for example as shown in Fig. 4. In other words, the first opening 108 has a first surface area and the through-hole has a depth 138 (in one embodiment measured from the first surface 102, for example as shown in Fig. 4) has a second cross-sectional area which is smaller than the first cross-sectional area. According to one embodiment, the cross-sectional area or a diameter of the through-hole 106 is determined in a plane that is parallel to the first surface 102 or parallel to a plane defined by the first surface 102. In the case of a circular hole cross-section, the area is determined by the diameter. Accordingly, according to one embodiment, the diameter 136 of the through-hole 106 at the first opening 108 (i.e., the diameter of the first opening 108) is greater than the diameter 140 of the through-hole 106 at the depth 138, for example, as shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0091] According to a further embodiment, the through hole 106 tapers starting from the second surface 104, for example as in Fig. 4. In other words, according to one embodiment, a second surface area of ​​the second opening 110 is greater than the cross-sectional surface area at a depth, for example at the depth 138. For example, a diameter 142 of the second opening 110 is greater than the diameter 140 of the through-hole 106 at the depth 138. With a taper from both sides, ie from the first surface 102 as well as from the second surface 104, the through-hole 106 consequently has a constriction in which a cross-sectional surface area or a diameter of the through-hole 106 is minimal, for example as in Fig. 4. According to one embodiment, the through-hole 106 has an hourglass shape in a longitudinal sectional view, ie in a sectional plane perpendicular to the first surface 102, for example as shown in Fig. 4. According to one embodiment, the hourglass shape of the through-hole 106 is created because the exposure time of the etchant inside the through-hole is shorter than at the surfaces 102, 104.

[0092] According to one embodiment, a wall 144 of the through-hole 106 forms an angle 146 with a normal 131 to the first surface 102 that is less than 30 degrees, for example as in Fig. 4. According to a further embodiment, all wall sections of the through-hole 106 form an angle of less than 30 degrees with a normal 131 to the first surface 102.

[0093] Fig. 5 shows a substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein in a plan view.

[0094] According to one embodiment, at least one of the through holes 106 has a first opening 108 having a largest diameter 148 and a smallest diameter 149, for example as shown in Fig. 5 is shown as an example for one of the through holes 108. According to one embodiment, the largest diameter 148 is at least a factor of 1.5 larger than the smallest diameter 149.

[0095] The Fig. 6 to Fig. 9 illustrate a method of manufacturing a substrate according to embodiments of the subject matters disclosed herein.

[0096] Fig. 6 shows the substrate 100 and a radiation path 150 of a laser beam (in Fig. 6 not shown). According to one embodiment, the emission path 150 is positioned on the first surface 102 in a first position 152. By emitting a suitable laser beam along the emission path 150, the substrate 100 is attenuated from the first position 152 along the emission path 150, thereby creating a first attenuation region (in Fig. 7 at 164). According to one embodiment, the radiation path 150 is positioned on the second surface 104 at a second position 155. The first position 152 on the first surface and the second position 155 on the second surface thus define the radiation path 150. Conversely, a given radiation path 150 for a first position 152 on the first surface 102 defines the corresponding second position 155 on the second surface 104.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the radiation path 150 forms an acute angle with a normal 128 to the first surface 102, for example as shown in Fig. 6. According to a further embodiment, a projection 131 of the second position 155 into the first surface 102 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first surface 102 defines a projected position 157 which is spaced from the first position 152 by at least 1 µm (the distance is in Fig. 6 not marked).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the radiation path 150 is subsequently positioned at a further position 154 on the first surface 102. By emitting a suitable laser beam along the radiation path 150, the substrate 100 is attenuated from the further position 154 along the radiation path 150, thereby creating a second attenuation region.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the radiation path 150 in the first position 152 corresponds to a first beam path position 156 and the radiation path 150 in the further position 154 corresponds to a second beam path position 158 (in Fig. 6 shown in dashed lines). According to one embodiment, the positioning of the radiation path 150 from the first beam path position 156 to the second beam path position 158 is carried out by pivoting the radiation path 150, for example as shown in Fig. 6. In this way, an angle 160 which the radiation path 150 in the first beam path position 156 forms with the first surface 102 is different from an angle 162 which the radiation path 150 in the second beam path position 158 forms with the first surface 102, for example as in Fig. 6 shown.

[0100] Fig. 7 shows the substrate 100 of Fig. 6 in a further production stage.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the substrate 100 after laser processing, for example as described with reference to Fig. 6, the first weakening area (in Fig. 7 designated 164) and the second weakening area (in Fig. 7 with 166). According to a further embodiment, the substrate 100, which has the weakened regions 164, 166, is subjected to an etching process, indicated at 168 in Fig. 7, for example, by immersing the substrate 100 in an etching liquid. Of course, other etching processes can also be used, for example, anisotropic etching processes.

[0102] In the weakened regions 164, 166, the etching process 168 is significantly faster than in the unweakened substrate. Therefore, according to one embodiment, no masks (e.g., for partially covering a surface 102, 104 of the substrate 100) are required for the etching process 168, which simplifies the processing of the substrate 100.

[0103] Fig. 8 shows the substrate 100 of Fig. 7 in a further production stage.

[0104] According to one embodiment, through holes 106 are formed in the substrate 100 at the position of the weakened regions 164, 166 after the etching process. According to another embodiment, an electrically conductive material 170 is applied to the substrate 100 and into the through holes 106, for example as shown in Fig. 8, for example, in two stages, by currentless cutting and subsequent galvanization.

[0105] Fig. 9 shows the substrate 100 of Fig. 8 in a further production stage.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive material 170 is patterned to create electrically conductive paths 172 on the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 of the substrate 100, for example as shown in Fig. 9. According to one embodiment, at least one electrically conductive path 172 on the first surface 102 is electrically conductively connected (galvanically connected) to at least one electrically conductive path 172 on the second surface 104 via the electrically conductive material 170 in the through-holes 106, for example as shown in Fig. 9 shown.

[0107] According to one embodiment, an electrically conductive path 172 in a vicinity of a through-hole 106 forms a contact region 173 of the through-hole. According to one embodiment, a distance 175 between two electrically conductive paths 172 is at least 1 µm, for example, as shown in Fig. 9 shown.

[0108] Fig. 10 shows a laser processing apparatus 180 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the laser processing apparatus 180 includes a substrate holder 182, such as a conveyor belt, for receiving a substrate 100 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the laser processing device 180 comprises an actuator arrangement having at least one actuator, for example, a plurality of actuators, for moving an emission path 150 of a laser beam 151 relative to the substrate 100. For example, according to one embodiment, the actuator arrangement comprises a first actuator 184 configured to move a laser emission device 186, for example, a laser head, from which the laser beam 151 can be emitted along the emission path 150. According to one embodiment, the laser emission device 186 comprises one or more scanning mirrors 188, with which the emission path 150 can be pivoted relative to the substrate 100, for moving the emission path 150 across the substrate 100 and positioning the emission path 150 on a first surface 102 of the substrate 100 according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein.According to one embodiment, each scanning mirror 188 is associated with an actuator (in . Fig. 10 not shown), for moving the scanning mirror 188. According to one embodiment, the actuators of the scanning mirrors 188 form part of the actuator arrangement.

[0111] According to a further embodiment, the laser processing device 180 comprises a laser source 190, from which the laser beam 151 can be emitted, for processing the substrate 100 and thereby producing weakened regions 164, 166 in the substrate 100 (cf. Fig. 7).

[0112] According to one embodiment, the laser processing device 180 has a control device 192 for controlling components of the laser processing device 180, for example the laser output device 186, the actuator arrangement, the laser source 190 and / or the substrate holder 182. To control the components of the laser processing device 180, the control device 192 is connected to the components in a control-related manner, indicated by way of example at 194 in Fig. 10.

[0113] Fig. 11 shows a substrate stack 196 according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0114] According to one embodiment, in the laser processing device 180, instead of a single substrate 100, a substrate stack 196 can be positioned in the substrate holder 182, wherein the substrate stack 196 comprises two or more substrates 100, 200, 300, for example three substrates, for example as in Fig. 11. In this way, the two or more substrates 100, 200, 300 can be processed in the laser processing device 180 without having to position the two or more substrates 100, 200, 300 individually, for example, by the substrate holder 182. Positioning of the laser delivery device 186 by the actuator 184 can also be performed for the two or more substrates 100, 200, 300 together. Depending on the angle 160 that the emission path 150 forms with the first surface 102 of the substrate 100, which is opposite the laser output device 186, according to one embodiment, a first position 152 of the emission path 150 on the first surface 102 of the substrate 100 deviates from, for example, a position 352 on a first surface of the substrate 300, which is furthest away from the laser output device 186, for example as in Fig. 11 can be seen. Fig.11 further shows, by way of example, the radiation path 150 in various beam path positions 156, 158, 159.

[0115] Example combinations of embodiments include, for example, the following: 1. Substrate 100, 200, 300 comprising: a first surface 102 and a second surface 104 facing away from the first surface 102; a plurality of through-holes extending from the first surface 102 to the second surface 104, the plurality of through-holes including a first through-hole 106; wherein each of the through holes forms a first opening 108 in the first surface 102 and a second opening 110 in the second surface 104; wherein the first opening 108 defines a first center point 118 and the second opening 110 defines a second center point 120; wherein for the first through-hole 106, a connecting line between the first center point 118 and the second center point 120 forms an acute angle 130, 133 with a normal 128 to the first surface 102. 2. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to embodiment 1, wherein a projection of the second center point 120 into a plane of the first surface 102 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first surface 102 defines a projected center point 122; wherein the first center point 118 and the projected center point define a vector 124 extending from the first center point 118 to the projected center point 122; wherein the vector 124 has a length that is at least 1 µm for the first through-hole 106. 3. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to embodiment 1, wherein the first center point 118 of the first opening 108 and the second center point 120 of the second opening 110 define a first vector 134; wherein a second vector 124 is defined as a projection of the first vector 134 into a plane of the first surface 102; and wherein the second vector 124 for the first through-hole 106 has a length that is at least 1 µm. 4. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any of the preceding embodiments, further comprising at least one of the following features: the substrate 100, 200, 300 is a glass substrate; the substrate 100, 200, 300 has a largest dimension between 100 mm and 650 mm; the largest dimension is a diameter or edge length 112, 114 of the substrate 100, 200, 300; the substrate 100, 200, 300 has a thickness 116 between 10 µm and 4 mm; the first through-hole 106 has an average diameter between 1 µm and 1000 µm; starting from the first surface 102, the first through hole 106 tapers; a wall 144 of the first through-hole 106 forms an angle 146 with a normal 128 to the first surface 102 that is less than 30 degrees; a hole density averaged over the substrate 100, 200, 300 is between 0.01 to 1000 through holes 106 per mm 2 ; a hole density averaged over the substrate 100, 200, 300 is at most 10000 through holes 106 per mm 2 . 5. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least for the first through-hole 106, at least one of the first opening 108 and the second opening 110 has a smallest diameter 149 and a largest diameter 148, wherein the largest diameter 148 is at least a factor of 1.5 larger than the smallest diameter 149. 6. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least for the first through-hole 106, a largest diameter of the first opening 108 is different from a largest diameter of the second opening 110, and wherein the largest diameter of the second opening 110 differs from the largest diameter of the first opening 108 by at most 90%. 7. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein a thickness variation of the substrate 100, 200, 300 is less than 200 µm. 8. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein a roughness Ra of the first surface 102 and / or the second surface 104 is less than 200 nm. 9. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the substrate 100, 200, 300 comprises at least one of the following: borosilicate glass; Alkali-free glass; alkali silicate glass; quartz glass; float glass; deep-drawn glass; Glass ceramic. 10. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one of the through holes 106 comprises an electrically conductive material 170. 11. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to embodiment 10, wherein the first surface 102 and / or the second surface 104 comprises a further electrically conductive material 170 which is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive material 170 in the at least one of the through holes 106. 12. Substrate 100, 200, 300 according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least a portion of the through holes 106 form a digital code pattern. 13. Method comprising: Providing a substrate 100, 200, 300 having a first surface 102 and a second surface 104, wherein the second surface 104 faces away from the first surface 102; Weakening the substrate 100, 200, 300 in a region 164, 166 in which substrate material is to be removed by irradiating it with a laser beam 151; wherein a radiation path 150 of the laser beam 151 is located on the first surface 102 at a first position 152, 352; wherein the radiation path 150 forms an acute angle 130, 133 with a normal 128 to the first surface 102. 14. Method according to embodiment 13, wherein the emission path 150 is positioned on the first surface 102 in the first position 152, 352 and extends through the substrate 100, 200, 300 to a second position 155 on the second surface 104, wherein a projection 131 of the second position 155 into the first surface 102 in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the first surface 102 defines a projected position 157, and wherein the projected position 157 is spaced from the first position 152, 352 by at least 1 µm; and / or wherein positioning the radiation path 150 on the first surface 102 comprises pivoting the radiation path 150 with respect to the substrate 100, 200, 300. 15. The method of any of embodiments 13 or 14, further comprising: Applying an etchant to the substrate 100, 200, 300 to remove the weakened region 164, 166 and thereby creating a through hole 106. 16. Laser processing device, comprising: a substrate holder 182 for receiving a substrate 100, 200, 300 having a first surface 102 and a second surface 104, the second surface 104 facing away from the first surface 102; an actuator arrangement operable to move a radiation path 150 of a laser beam 151 with respect to the substrate 100, 200, 300; a control device 192; wherein the control device 192 is configured to control the actuator assembly and thereby position the radiation path 150 into a first beam path position 156, in which the radiation path 150 is positioned in a first position 152, 352 on the first surface 102; wherein the control device 192 is configured to cause a laser beam 151 to be emitted along the emission path 150 in the first beam path position 156 and thereby create a first attenuated region 164 in the substrate 100, 200, 300; wherein the radiation path 150 in the first beam path position 156 forms an acute angle 130, 133 with a normal 128 to the first surface 102. 17. Laser processing apparatus according to embodiment 16, wherein the control device 192 is configured to control the actuator assembly and thereby move the radiation path 150 from the first beam path position 156 to a second beam path position 158 in which the radiation path 150 is positioned in a further position 154 on the first surface 102; wherein moving the beam path 150 from the first beam path position 156 to the second beam path position 158 comprises pivoting the beam path 150 with respect to the first surface 102; wherein the control device 192 is configured to cause a laser beam 151 to be emitted along the emission path 150 in the second beam path position 158 and thereby create a second attenuated region 166 in the substrate 100, 200, 300.

[0116] It should be noted that a substrate as described herein is not limited to the dedicated entities described in some embodiments. Rather, the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in numerous ways in varying levels of detail while still providing the specific functionality disclosed.

[0117] According to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein, any suitable entity (e.g., components, units and devices, elements, etc.) may be provided at least in part in the form of corresponding computer programs that enable a processor device to provide the functionality of the corresponding entity as described herein. According to other embodiments, any suitable entity as described herein may be provided in hardware. According to other, hybrid embodiments, some entities may be provided in software while other entities are provided in hardware.

[0118] It should be noted that each entity disclosed herein is not limited to a dedicated entity as described in some embodiments. Furthermore, the subject matter described herein may be provided in various ways with varying granularity at the device level or at the software module level while still providing the specified functionality. Further, it should be noted that according to embodiments, a separate entity may be provided for each of the functions disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, one entity may be configured to provide two or more functions as described herein. According to still other embodiments, two or more entities may be configured to jointly provide one function as described herein.For example, the literal disclosure of an actuator provides an embodiment having a single actuator according to the literal disclosure. Furthermore, the literal disclosure of an actuator also provides an embodiment having two or more actuators acting as one actuator (with extended motion capabilities).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the control device includes a processor device having at least one processor for executing at least one program element, which may correspond to a corresponding software module.

[0120] A reference to laser radiation can, of course, also be defined analogously by reference to a radiation path of the laser radiation, and vice versa. In this respect, any reference to laser radiation herein analogously discloses a reference to a radiation path of the laser radiation.

[0121] It should be noted that the implementations described herein, in particular the implementations illustrated in the drawings, represent only a limited selection of possible combinations of embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, it is generally possible to combine the features of various embodiments in a suitable manner, so that a person skilled in the art will consider the embodiments explicitly disclosed here to disclose a multitude of combinations of various embodiments. Furthermore, it should be noted that terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Terms such as "containing," "comprising," or "having" do not exclude further features or method steps. Consequently, according to one embodiment, the term "having," "comprising," or "containing" stands for "among other things."According to another embodiment, the term "having," "comprising," or "containing" means "consisting of." According to one embodiment, the term "configured for" includes, among other things, the meaning "configured to."

[0122] The term “in particular” refers herein to optional features in general.

[0123] The expression “A and / or B” usually always includes “only A”, “only B” and also “A and B”. In an expression that refers to a list of characteristics, “at least one” always includes the individual characteristics as well as any combination of the characteristics. For example, the expression “at least one of the characteristics A and B” includes the characteristic “only A”, “only B”, and “A and B”. Analogously, the expression “at least one of the characteristics A or B” also includes the characteristic “only A”, “only B”, and “A and B”. Analogously, the expression “at least one of the characteristics A, B” also includes the characteristic “only A”, “only B”, and “A and B”.

[0124] It should also be noted that reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that reference numerals in the description and the description's reference to the drawings should not be construed as limiting the scope of the description. Rather, the drawings illustrate only one exemplary implementation of a particular combination of several embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein; any other combination of embodiments is equally possible and is to be considered disclosed in this application.

[0125] In summary, it can be stated: Disclosed is a substrate comprising: a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface; at least one through-hole, a plurality of through-holes extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the at least one of the plurality of through-holes comprises a first through-hole; wherein each of the at least one of the through-holes forms a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface; wherein the first opening defines a first center point and the second opening defines a second center point; wherein, for the first through-hole, a connecting line between the first center point and the second center point forms an acute angle with a normal to the first surface. Furthermore, a method and a laser processing apparatus for producing the substrate are disclosed. List of reference symbols 100, 200, 300 substrate 102 first surface 104 second surface 106 through hole 108 first opening 110 second opening 112 first edge length 114 second edge length 116 Thickness of the substrate 118 first center point 120 second center point 122 projected center 124 hole vector 126 connecting line between 118 and 120 128 Normal to the first surface 130 angles between 126 and 128 131 Projection 132 Edge of the first opening 133 angles between 126 and 131 134 first vector 136 Diameter of the first opening 138 depth 140 Diameter of the through hole in depth 138 142 Diameter of the second opening 144 Wall of the through hole 146 Angle between the wall and a normal to the first surface 148 largest diameter of the first opening 149 smallest diameter of the first opening 150 Beam path of a laser beam 151 laser beam 152, 352 Position of the radiation path on the first surface 154 further position of the radiation path on the first surface 155 Position of the radiation path on the second surface 156 first beam path position 158 second beam path position 159 third beam path position 160 Angle between beam path and first surface in the first beam path position 162 Angle between beam path and first surface in the second beam path position 164 first weakened area (first weakened area) 166 second weakened area (second weakened area) 168 Etching process 170 electrically conductive material 172 electrically conductive path 173 contact area 175 distance 180 laser processing device 182 Substrate uptake 184 first actor 186 Laser delivery device 188 scanning mirrors 190 Laser source 192 Control device 194 control connection / communication connection 196 substrate stacks QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 2020 / 0303188 A1

[0002] DE 10 2016 213802 A1

[0038] EP 4 344 816 A1

[0038] WO 2016 / 062303 A1

[0038] WO 2020 / 182785 A1

[0038]

Claims

[1] Substrate (100, 200, 300) comprising: a first surface (102) and a second surface (104) facing away from the first surface (102); a plurality of through-holes extending from the first surface (102) to the second surface (104), the plurality of through-holes including a first through-hole (106); wherein each of the through holes forms a first opening (108) in the first surface (102) and a second opening (110) in the second surface (104); wherein the first opening (108) defines a first center point (118) and the second opening (110) defines a second center point (120); wherein for the first through-hole (106) a connecting line between the first center point (118) and the second center point (120) forms an acute angle (130, 133) with a normal (128) to the first surface (102). [2] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein a projection of the second center point (120) into a plane of the first surface (102) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first surface (102) defines a projected center point (122); wherein the first center point (118) and the projected center point define a vector (124) extending from the first center point (118) to the projected center point (122); wherein the vector (124) has a length which is at least 1 µm for the first through-hole (106). [3] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein the first center point (118) of the first opening (108) and the second center point (120) of the second opening (110) define a first vector (134); wherein a second vector (124) is defined as a projection of the first vector (134) into a plane of the first surface (102); and wherein the second vector (124) for the first through-hole (106) has a length of at least 1 µm. [4] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one of the following features: the substrate (100, 200, 300) is a glass substrate; the substrate (100, 200, 300) has a largest dimension which is between 100 mm and 650 mm; the largest dimension is a diameter or an edge length (112, 114) of the substrate (100, 200, 300); the substrate (100, 200, 300) has a thickness (116) between 10 µm and 4 mm; the first through-hole (106) has an average diameter between 1 µm and 1000 µm; starting from the first surface (102), the first through hole (106) tapers; a wall (144) of the first through-hole (106) forms an angle (146) of less than 30 degrees with a normal (128) to the first surface (102); a hole density averaged over the substrate (100, 200, 300) is between 0.01 and 1000 through holes (106) per mm 2 ; a hole density averaged over the substrate (100, 200, 300) is at most 10000 through holes (106) per mm 2 . [5] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least for the first through-hole (106), at least one of the first opening (108) and the second opening (110) has a smallest diameter (149) and a largest diameter (148), the largest diameter (148) being at least a factor of 1.5 larger than the smallest diameter (149). [6] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least for the first through-hole (106), a largest diameter of the first opening (108) is different from a largest diameter of the second opening (110), and wherein the largest diameter of the second opening (110) differs from the largest diameter of the first opening (108) by at most 90%. [7] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a thickness variation of the substrate (100, 200, 300) is less than 200 µm. [8] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a roughness Ra of the first surface (102) and / or the second surface (104) is less than 200 nm. [9] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate (100, 200, 300) comprises at least one of the following: borosilicate glass; Alkali-free glass; alkali silicate glass; quartz glass; float glass; deep-drawn glass; Glass ceramic. [10] The substrate (100, 200, 300) of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the through holes (106) comprises an electrically conductive material (170). [11] Substrate (100, 200, 300) according to claim 10, wherein the first surface (102) and / or the second surface (104) comprises a further electrically conductive material (170) which is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive material (170) in the at least one of the through holes (106). [12] A substrate (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the through holes (106) form a digital code pattern. [13] Laser processing device, comprising: a substrate holder (182) for receiving a substrate (100, 200, 300) having a first surface (102) and a second surface (104), the second surface (104) facing away from the first surface (102); an actuator arrangement operable to move an emission path (150) of a laser beam (151) with respect to the substrate (100, 200, 300); a control device (192); wherein the control device (192) is configured to control the actuator assembly and thereby position the radiation path (150) into a first beam path position (156) in which the radiation path (150) is positioned in a first position (152, 352) on the first surface (102); wherein the control device (192) is configured to cause a laser beam (151) to be emitted along the emission path (150) in the first beam path position (156) and thereby create a first attenuated region (164) in the substrate (100, 200, 300); wherein the radiation path (150) in the first beam path position (156) encloses an acute angle (130, 133) with a normal (128) to the first surface (102). [14] Laser processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the control device (192) is configured to control the actuator arrangement and thereby move the radiation path (150) from the first beam path position (156) to a second beam path position (158) in which the radiation path (150) is positioned in a further position (154) on the first surface (102); wherein moving the beam path (150) from the first beam path position (156) to the second beam path position (158) comprises pivoting the beam path (150) with respect to the first surface (102); wherein the control device (192) is configured to cause a laser beam (151) to be emitted along the emission path (150) in the second beam path position (158) and thereby create a second attenuated region (166) in the substrate (100, 200, 300).

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