Abstract: Methods for thinning glass are provided, including methods for reducing a thickness of a glass sheet by subjecting the glass sheet to an etching process. The methods can include passing the glass sheet through an etching zone along a conveyance path a plurality of times until an initial thickness of the glass sheet is reduced to a final predetermined thickness of the glass sheet, and washing the glass sheet after each pass through the etching zone.

Abstract: Methods for thinning glass are provided, including methods for reducing a thickness of a glass sheet by subjecting the glass sheet to an etching process. The methods can include passing the glass sheet through an etching zone along a conveyance path a plurality of times until an initial thickness of the glass sheet is reduced to a final predetermined thickness of the glass sheet, and washing the glass sheet after each pass through the etching zone.

Abstract: A method of cutting a sheet material includes mounting the sheet material on a support and forming a porous barrier between the sheet material and the support by interposing at least one sheet of porous material between the sheet material and the support. The method includes focusing a laser beam at a target point relative to the sheet material on the support. A relative motion is effected between the focused laser beam and the sheet material such that the focused laser beam moves along a predetermined path on the sheet material to cut the sheet material along the predetermined path while the porous barrier shields the support from damage by the focused baser beam.