Laser-Cut Thin Glass With Coating Ablation and Chemical Healing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing thin-film glasses in cell units, such as using CNC or laser cutting, result in high manufacturing costs, prolonged processing times, and increased defects like fine cracks or thermal damage, which degrade the flexural strength of the glasses.
Innovation Solution
A method involving coating one or both sides of thin mother glass with a protective solution, forming a film, using specific wavelengths of lasers to ablate the film and cut the glass, and performing selective chemical treatments to heal and reinforce the cut surfaces, thereby eliminating thermally damaged areas and defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If CNC or laser cutting is used to cut thin mother glass into cell units, then cutting efficiency is improved, but fine cracks or thermal damage are generated on cut surfaces, degrading flexural strength
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is applied to the thin mother glass before cutting. This coating serves as a sacrificial layer that absorbs thermal energy during laser cutting and prevents direct thermal damage to the glass substrate, thereby maintaining cut surface quality while enabling efficient laser cutting
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating acts as an intermediary between the laser beam and the glass substrate. It absorbs the laser energy and converts it to a form that enables clean cutting without transmitting excessive heat to the glass, thus preventing thermal damage and fine cracks
2Strength
If face-milling and chamfering processes are performed on cut thin-film glasses to heal fine cracks, then flexural strength is improved, but manufacturing time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is selectively removed from the cut surfaces after laser cutting. This extraction of the coating material exposes the clean cut surface directly, eliminating the need for subsequent face-milling and chamfering processes while maintaining high flexural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The laser cutting process, which normally causes thermal damage, is converted into a beneficial process by using the protective coating to control heat distribution. The coating absorbs excess heat and directs it in a way that creates clean cut surfaces without damage, turning potential harm into benefit
3Weight of moving object
If thin mother glass is made thinner to meet design and portability requirements, then design flexibility and portability are improved, but the glass becomes more susceptible to damage during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating is applied beforehand to cushion and protect the thin glass substrate during laser cutting and chemical etching processes. This pre-protection allows ultra-thin glass to be processed without damage, maintaining both thinness and processing reliability
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 method reduces manufacturing costs and processing time while improving the durability of thin-film glasses by minimizing defects and thermal damage, enhancing the efficiency and quality of the production process.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating a coating film formed on either side of the thin mother glass with a laser beam along a line to be cut of the thin mother glass to partially ablate the coating film
Implementation Method 2
irradiating a surface of the thin mother glass exposed to the outside through a coating film ablation portion with a laser beam to cut the thin mother glass
Implementation Method 3
healing a laser-cut surface of the thin-film glasses in cell units through selective chemical treatment of the cut thin-film glasses in cell units to eliminate a thermally-damaged area and a defective area generated during the laser cutting process
Implementation Method 4
coating one side or both sides of thin mother glass with a coating solution for preventing chemical contact to proceed with selective chemical treatment
Data Source
AI summary
A method for ablating a coating film, cutting glass, and performing post-treatment by using a laser according to the present invention includes coating one side or both sides of thin mother glass with a coating solution for preventing chemical contact in order to proceed with selective chemical treatment, drying the coating solution to form a coating film on one side or both sides of the thin mother glass, obtaining thin-film glasses in cell units applied to electrical and electronic products from the thin mother glass, healing a laser-cut surface of the cut thin-film glasses in cell units through selective chemical treatment of the cut thin-film glasses in cell units, cleaning the thin-film glasses in cell units, and then ablating all of a coating film formed on a surface of the thin-film glasses in cell units, and cleaning the thin-film glasses in cell units from which all of the coating film has been ablated and then chemically healing the surface of the thin-film glasses in cell units in order to eliminate defects or flaws on the surface of the thin-film glasses in cell units from which all of the coating film has been ablated.