Glass Substrate Singulation via Laser Damage and Etching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical dicing methods for glass-based articles are slow, serial in nature, and have limitations such as speed dependency on substrate thickness, restricted geometry, weakened edges, and low yield, which can interfere with etching processes used for feature creation and strength enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of first and second arrays of damage regions on a glass substrate sheet, where the second array defines interrupted zones of at least 10 microns, allowing for etching and singulation of portions in a way that minimizes mechanical stress and maximizes yield, using techniques like ultra-short pulsed laser damage channels and subsequent etching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical dicing is used to separate individual parts from large glass sheets, then separation is achieved, but production speed is slow and serial processing is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the glass sheet into multiple arrays of damage regions (first array and second array) that can be processed independently and in parallel. This segmentation allows simultaneous treatment of multiple regions, transforming serial mechanical dicing into parallel batch processing, thereby dramatically improving production speed and eliminating the time loss associated with sequential operations.
2Productivity
If mechanical dicing is used for separation, then individual parts are obtained, but dicing edges are weakened and yield is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical dicing system with a chemical etching system. Instead of using mechanical blades that physically cut and weaken edges, the invention uses chemical etchants to selectively remove material along predefined damage regions. This substitution eliminates mechanical stress and edge weakening, producing stronger parts with higher yield while maintaining the separation function.
3Ease of manufacture
If etching is performed on glass substrate, then features such as holes and slots are created, but dicing interferes with the etching process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary damage treatment to the glass substrate before etching. By creating controlled damage regions (first array and second array) in advance, the glass structure is pre-conditioned to facilitate subsequent etching. This preliminary action defines the etching paths and protects surrounding areas, allowing feature creation and separation to proceed without interference, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
4Area of stationary object
If large glass sheets are manufactured, then large applications such as displays are enabled, but separation of individual parts becomes a bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large glass sheet into multiple processable arrays (first array of damage regions and second array of damage regions) that can be simultaneously treated. This segmentation strategy allows the entire large sheet to be processed in parallel batches rather than sequentially, maintaining the advantage of large-scale manufacturing while eliminating the productivity bottleneck in the separation stage.
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 faster, more efficient production of glass articles by allowing parallel processing and enhanced robustness, reducing mechanical stress during singulation and maintaining the integrity of the substrate sheet.
Implementation Method 1
using techniques like ultra-short pulsed laser damage channels
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a glass article includes steps of: providing a glass substrate sheet, forming a first array of first damage regions, forming a second array of second damage regions which define a plurality of portions, wherein the second array of second damage regions define one or more interrupted zones. The interrupted zones may have a largest dimension of about 10 microns or greater. The method further includes steps of etching the glass substrate and singulating the plurality of portions from the glass substrate sheet.