High-Angle Laser Glass Cutting With Aspheric Beam Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cutting and separating glass substrates are inefficient, producing square edges prone to breakage and requiring mechanical processes that generate dust and particles, necessitating a cleaner, faster, and more reliable method.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a laser beam processed through an aspheric optical element with a radial offset, creating a quasi-non-diffracting beam that forms angled defects within the glass substrate, allowing for precise separation with minimal divergence and aberration, using a multi-optic axicon assembly or aspheric optical elements to maintain beam quality at high angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional laser processing methods are used to cut glass substrates, then the cutting process can be performed, but the resulting edges are square and prone to breakage, requiring additional mechanical processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the laser beam parameters by using a radially offset beam configuration (offset distance of 30-75% of the 1/e^2 beam radius) and specific internal focal line angles (50-80 degrees) to create angled defects that inherently produce break-resistant edges, eliminating the need for additional mechanical processing steps while maintaining high throughput
2Reliability
If mechanical grinding and polishing processes are used to create non-square edges, then edge breakage is minimized, but glass dust and particles are generated requiring additional cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical grinding and polishing system with an optical laser processing system that uses a radially offset laser beam to create angled defects directly in the glass substrate. This substitution eliminates mechanical contact, preventing the generation of glass dust and particles, while still achieving the desired non-square edges that are resistant to breakage
3Manufacturing precision
If the laser beam is directed at high angles into the transparent workpiece, then angled defects can be formed for clean separation, but beam divergence and aberration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry into the laser beam configuration by using a radially offset beam position relative to the optical axis. This asymmetric configuration, combined with specific internal focal line angles (50-80 degrees), allows the formation of precise angled defects while managing beam divergence and maintaining beam quality through the glass substrate
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
Enables the formation of angled defects that facilitate clean and efficient separation of glass substrates with reduced breakage risk and minimal dust generation, improving throughput and edge quality.
Implementation Method 1
directing a laser beam oriented along a beam pathway and output by a beam source through an aspheric optical element and into an impingement surface of the transparent workpiece... such that the defect has a defect angle within the transparent workpiece of less than 80° relative to the impingement surface
Implementation Method 2
a portion of the laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece includes a laser beam focal line and generates an induced absorption to produce a defect within the transparent workpiece
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A method for processing a transparent workpiece includes directing a laser beam oriented along a beam pathway through an aspheric optical element and the transparent workpiece. The laser beam impinges the aspheric optical element radially offset from a centerline axis of the aspheric optical element by an offset distance of 30% the 1/e2 diameter of the laser beam or greater. The beam pathway and the transparent workpiece are tilted relative to one another such that the beam pathway has a beam pathway angle of less than 90° relative to an impingement surface at the impingement surface and a portion of the laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece is a laser beam focal line having an internal focal line angle of less than 80° relative to the impingement surface, such that a defect with a defect angle of less than 80° is formed by induced absorption within the transparent workpiece.