Glass Through-Hole Etching with Laser-Modified Cylindrical Profiles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing glass substrate processing methods result in significant material loss and non-cylindrical through holes due to high etching rates, leading to inefficient use of materials and suboptimal hole formation.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of ultraviolet-wavelength pulse laser light to form a through hole, followed by irradiation with ultrashort pulse laser light to create a modified section, and subsequent etching with a specialized etchant to increase the hole diameter, ensuring the etching rate for the modified section is higher than for the rest of the glass substrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional etching methods are used to form through holes in glass substrates, then the etching process is simple and fast, but significant material loss occurs and the hole shape deviates from cylindrical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehole shape precisionVSAvoidglass material loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming a modified section in the glass substrate using ultrashort pulse laser irradiation before the etching process. This pre-modification creates a region with altered physical properties that enables selective etching, allowing the etchant to remove material precisely where needed while preserving surrounding areas, thus reducing overall material loss and maintaining cylindrical hole shape.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by creating a modified section with distinct physical properties through laser irradiation. This modified region has different etching characteristics compared to the unmodified glass substrate, enabling the etchant to selectively remove material only from the modified section. This localized property change ensures precise hole formation with minimal deviation from cylindrical shape and reduced material loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If high etching rates are used to increase productivity, then the through hole formation is faster, but material loss increases and hole shape control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethrough hole formation speedVSAvoidhole shape accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing ultrashort pulse laser irradiation to fundamentally alter the physical state of the glass substrate in the target region. This creates a modified section with changed properties that responds differently to etchants, enabling high etching rates to be achieved selectively only in the modified region without affecting surrounding areas, thus maintaining hole shape accuracy even with high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of substance

If ultrashort pulse laser light is used to form a modified section, then material loss is reduced, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglass material lossVSAvoidprocessing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical or thermal etching methods with ultrashort pulse laser irradiation to create the modified section. This substitution enables precise material modification without the material loss associated with traditional methods. The laser-based approach provides non-contact, highly localized processing that reduces material waste while the subsequent selective etching simplifies the overall process by eliminating the need for complex masking or protective structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 reduces material loss and ensures the formation of cylindrical through holes with minimal deviation, enhancing the efficiency and precision of the glass substrate processing.

Implementation Method 1

forming a through hole by irradiating a glass substrate with ultraviolet-wavelength pulse laser light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 2

forming a modified section by irradiating a region surrounding the through hole with ultrashort pulse laser light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser-induced modification: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 3

etching the glass substrate with an etchant to increase a hole diameter of the through hole, the etchant providing an etching rate for etching the modified section higher than an etching rate for etching the glass substrate excluding the modified section

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical etching:

Data Source

PatentUS20260078049A1Glass substrate processing method, and electronic device manufacturing method

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 GIGAPHOTON INC

AI summary

A glass substrate processing method includes forming a through hole by irradiating a glass substrate with ultraviolet-wavelength pulse laser light; forming a modified section by irradiating a region surrounding the through hole with ultrashort pulse laser light, the region extending over a predetermined range from an inner wall of the through hole; and etching the glass substrate with an etchant to increase a hole diameter of the through hole, the etchant providing an etching rate for etching the modified section higher than an etching rate for etching the glass substrate excluding the modified section.