Glass Substrate Separation via Engineered Thermal Gradients

The patent replaces chemical etching processes with a thermal field-based separation method. By applying localized heating to create thermal gradients at the cut lines, the glass separates through thermal stress-induced fracturing rather than chemical dissolution. This substitution of chemical mechanisms with thermal-mechanical mechanisms dramatically increases separation speed while reducing manufacturing time.

The invention changes the fundamental parameter from chemical concentration/etch rate to temperature gradient magnitude. By controlling the thermal field parameters (heating power, duration, and spatial distribution), the separation process is accelerated from slow chemical etching to rapid thermal fracture, directly improving productivity while minimizing time loss.

The patent applies thermal energy locally only at the cut lines where separation is needed, rather than heating the entire glass substrate uniformly. This localized heating creates steep thermal gradients concentrated at the fracture zones, achieving rapid separation while minimizing total energy consumption. The thermal field is spatially modulated to match the geometric pattern of required separations.

The thermal field is applied in periodic pulses rather than continuous heating. This pulsed thermal action allows the glass to fracture during high-temperature phases while cooling between pulses, reducing cumulative energy input. The periodic heating cycles efficiently propagate cracks through the material without requiring sustained high energy input throughout the entire process.