Glass Substrate Microstructuring for Blind Hole Etching Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser-induced deep etching methods for glass substrates result in homogeneous etching across the material thickness, making it difficult to produce structures like blind holes or one-sided recesses without additional control measures, such as etch resist, as they favor the creation of through-holes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves partially changing the chemical composition of the glass substrate before laser-induced modifications, creating regions with altered properties that control the etching rate and stop or delay further modifications, allowing for controllable, inhomogeneous etching to produce specific structures like non-penetrating blind holes with planar boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If laser radiation is applied to create modifications in the glass substrate, then material modifications are created along the beam axis, but homogeneous etching occurs over the entire material thickness favoring through-holes instead of blind holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a region of changed properties at a specific depth within the glass substrate through selective ion diffusion. This region has different chemical composition and etching characteristics compared to the surrounding glass, enabling localized control of the etching process. The modified region acts as a barrier that stops or delays etching at a predetermined depth, allowing production of blind holes and one-sided recesses with planar boundaries instead of conical shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing ion diffusion to create a region of changed properties before applying laser radiation and subsequent etching. This pre-modification of the glass substrate establishes a depth-dependent etching resistance that controls the final structure geometry. By preparing the glass substrate in advance with this special region, the patent enables precise control over etching depth and structure formation without requiring additional measures during the etching process itself.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional measures like etch resist are used to control etching effect, then blind holes can be produced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by making the glass substrate itself provide the depth control function through the internally created region of changed properties. Instead of requiring external etch resist materials or complex masking processes, the glass substrate's own modified region acts as a self-regulating barrier that automatically stops or delays etching at the desired depth. This eliminates the need for additional process steps and materials, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining precise depth control.
3Productivity
If laser radiation creates modifications over the entire thickness, then through-holes are produced, but blind holes require additional control measures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition of the glass substrate through ion diffusion, creating a region with different properties at a specific depth. This changes the etching parameters (etching rate, etching resistance) as a function of depth, allowing the same laser radiation and etching process to produce different structure types (blind holes vs. through-holes) based on the location and properties of the modified region. The parameter change enables single-sided recess formation without requiring different process configurations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of structures that were previously difficult or impossible to achieve, with adjustable etching depth and prevention of unwanted modifications, allowing for precise control over the formation of recesses and protection of certain regions from further etching.
Implementation Method 1
the focus of the laser radiation forms a spatial beam along a beam axis of the laser radiation and in which the laser radiation creates modifications in the glass substrate along the beam axis
Implementation Method 2
the action of an etching medium and successive etching subsequently create the microstructures or recesses in the glass substrate through anisotropic removal of material
Implementation Method 3
a chemical composition of the glass substrate is partially changed and thus at least one region of changed properties is created before the action of the etching medium
Data Source
AI summary
A method for microstructuring a plate-shaped glass substrate by laser radiation includes: introducing one-sided recesses into the glass substrate, in which a focus of the laser radiation forms a spatial beam along a beam axis and in which the laser radiation creates modifications in the glass substrate along the beam axis so that an action of an etching medium subsequently creates the recesses in the glass substrate through anisotropic removal of material in a respective region of the modifications. A chemical composition of the glass substrate is partially changed and thus at least one region of changed properties is created before the action of the etching medium.