Abstract: A method of generating a hole or well in an electrically insulating or semiconducting substrate, a hole or well in a substrate generated by this method, and an array of holes or wells in a substrate generated by the method.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass substrate having a through hole, includes preparing a glass substrate having an average coefficient of thermal expansion in a range of 55×0?7/K to 120×10?7/K at 50° C. to 300° C., and a thickness of 0.2 mm or greater and 1 mm or less, and forming the through hole in the glass substrate using a laser-guided discharge technique.

Abstract: A method of generating a hole or the like in an electrically insulating or semiconducting substrate, includes a) providing a substrate; b) melting a volume of material of the substrate; c) removing the molten volume of material by applying a voltage across the substrate using two electrodes, thereby applying a defined amount of electrical energy to the substrate and dissipating the electrical energy from the substrate, wherein the rate of dissipating the applied electrical energy is controlled by at least one current and/or power modulating element, the at least one current and/or power modulating element being part of the electrical connection between the voltage source and the electrodes, and wherein the current and/or power modulating element is a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor or any combination of the foregoing, with the proviso that, if there is only one current and/or power modulating element, it is not an ohmic resistor.

Abstract: A method of generating a hole or well in an electrically insulating or semiconducting substrate, a hole or well in a substrate generated by this method, and an array of holes or wells in a substrate generated by the method.