Abstract: Silica-containing substrates including vias with a narrow waist, electronic devices incorporating a silica-containing substrate, and methods of forming vias with narrow waist in silica-containing substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, an article includes a silica-containing substrate including greater than or equal to 85 mol % silica, a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a via extending through the silica-containing substrate from the first surface toward the second surface. The via includes a first diameter at the first surface wherein the first diameter is less than or equal to 100 ?m, a second diameter at the second surface wherein the first diameter is less than or equal to 100 ?m, and a via waist between the first surface and the second surface. The via waist has a waist diameter that is less than the first diameter and the second diameter such that a ratio between the waist diameter and each of the first diameter and the second diameter is less than or equal to 75%.

Abstract: A method of processing a transparent workpiece comprises directing a defect-forming laser beam to an impingement surface of a transparent workpiece, the defect-forming laser beam having a numerical aperture from 0.10 to 0.25, the transparent workpiece having a textured surface, the textured surface having an Ra value of greater than or equal to 0.5 ?m.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser cutting technology for cutting and separating thin substrates of transparent materials, for example to cutting of display glass compositions mainly used for production of Thin Film Transistors (TFT) devices. The described laser process can be used to make straight cuts, for example at a speed of >0.25 m/sec, to cut sharp radii outer corners (<1 mm), and to create arbitrary curved shapes including forming interior holes and slots. A method of laser processing an alkaline earth boro-aluminosilicate glass composite workpiece includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a focal line. The pulsed laser produces pulse bursts with 5-20 pulses per pulse burst and pulse burst energy of 300-600 micro Joules per burst. The focal line is directed into the glass composite workpiece, generating induced absorption within the material.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a transparent workpiece comprises: directing light from an illumination source onto a plurality of defects formed in the transparent workpiece, wherein the plurality of defects extends in a defect direction, wherein the transparent workpiece comprises a first surface and a second surface; detecting a scattering image signal from light scattered by the plurality of defects using an imaging system, wherein an imaging axis of the imaging system extends at a non-zero imaging angle relative to the defect direction, wherein entireties of at least a subset of the plurality of defects are within a depth of field of the imaging system; and generating a three-dimensional image of at least one of the plurality of defects based on the scattering signal.

Abstract: A system for and a method of processing a transparent material, such as glass, using an adjustable laser beam line focus are disclosed. The system for processing a transparent material includes a laser source operable to emit a pulsed laser beam, and an optical assembly (6?) disposed within an optical path of the pulsed laser beam. The optical assembly (6?) is configured to transform the pulsed laser beam into a laser beam focal line having an adjustable length and an adjustable diameter. At least a portion of the laser beam focal line is operable to be positioned within a bulk of the transparent material such that the laser beam focal line produces a material modification along the laser beam focal line. Method of laser processing a transparent material by adjusting at least one of the length of the laser beam focal line and the diameter of the laser beam focal line is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are glass articles coated on at least one surface with an electrochromic layer and comprising minimal regions of laser damage, and methods for laser processing such glass articles. Insulated glass units comprising such coated glass articles are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Methods of reshaping ferrules used in optical fiber cables assemblies are disclosed. The reshaping methods reduce a core-to-ferrule concentricity error (E), which improves coupling efficiency and optical transmission. The methods include measuring a true center of the ferrule, wherein the true center is based on an outer surface of the ferrule; and reshaping at least a portion of the ferrule to change the true center of the ferrule, wherein the reshaping includes enlarging a portion of the ferrule. A variety of reshaping techniques are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tiled display having pixels arranged in rows and columns, and including first and second tiles. The tiles comprise a substrate carrying a matrix of pixels arranged at a pixel pitch. The substrates comprise an edge extending between opposing faces in a depth direction. The substrate edges have a complementary shape, and face one another to establish a seam. The pixel pitch is maintained across the seam. Pixels of the second tile are not interposed between pixels of the first tile. The complementary shape includes a segment of the seam being oblique to the pixel rows, or the substrate edge of the first tile profiled in the depth direction whereby at least a section of the edge is non-perpendicular to the faces. The tiled display can maintain the pixel pitch at the seams at high resolutions (e.g., pixel pitch less than 0.5 mm).

Abstract: A method of separating a transparent workpiece comprises depositing a sacrificial layer onto a textured surface of the transparent workpiece, the sacrificial layer comprising a refractive index that is less than or equal to a refractive index of the transparent workpiece and greater than or equal to a refractive index of air. A defect-forming laser beam is generated via an optical assembly and used to form a plurality of defects in the transparent workpiece through sacrificial layer. The defect forming laser beam either comprises a pulsed laser beam forming a laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece or an optical power of greater than or equal a critical power level to induce Kerr effect self-focusing in the transparent workpiece. The transparent workpiece is separated along the contour.

Abstract: Methods for forming holes in a substrate by reducing back reflections of a quasi-non-diffracting beam into the substrate are described herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface includes applying an exit material to the second surface of the substrate, wherein a difference between a refractive index of the exit material and a refractive index of the substrate is 0.4 or less, and focusing a pulsed laser beam into a quasi-non-diffracting beam directed into the substrate such that the quasi-non-diffracting beam enters the substrate through the first surface. The substrate is transparent to at least one wavelength of the pulsed laser beam. The quasi-non-diffracting beam generates an induced absorption within the substrate that produces a damage track within the substrate.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Glass articles with protective films used for processing hard disk drive substrates and methods of forming glass articles with protective films used for processing hard disk drive substrates are provided herein. In one embodiment, a glass blank includes: a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and an edge surface connecting the first surface and the second surface; wherein the first surface comprises a first coated portion and a first uncoated portion surrounding the first coated portion, wherein the first uncoated portion extends a first distance radially inward from the edge toward a center of the first surface, wherein the second surface comprises a second coated portion and a second uncoated portion surrounding the second coated portion, wherein the second uncoated portion extends a second distance radially inward from the edge toward a center of the second surface.

Abstract: A method of laser processing a transparent workpiece includes directing a pulsed laser beam into the transparent workpiece. The pulsed laser beam includes pulse bursts having 2 sub-pulses per pulse burst or more, each pulse burst of the pulsed laser beam has a burst duration Tbd of 380 ns or greater; and the pulsed laser beam forms a pulsed laser beam focal line in the transparent workpiece, the pulsed laser beam focal line inducing absorption in the transparent workpiece, the induced absorption producing a defect in the transparent workpiece. The pulsed laser beam focal line includes a wavelength ?, a spot size wo, and a Rayleigh range ZR that is greater than F D ? ? ? w o 2 ? , where FD is a dimensionless divergence factor comprising a value of 10 or greater.

Abstract: Systems and processes of cutting and drilling in a target substrate uses a laser (e.g., a pulsed laser) and an optical system to generate a line focus of the laser beam within the target substrate, such as a glass substrate sheet, are provided. The laser cutting and drilling system and process creates holes or defects that, in certain embodiments, extend the full depth of the glass sheet with each individual laser pulse, and allows the laser system to cut and separate the target substrate into any desired contour by creating a series of perforations that form a contour or desired part shape. Since a glass substrate sheet is brittle, cracking will then follow the perforated contour, allowing the glass substrate sheet to separate into any required shape defined by the perforations.

Abstract: A method for cutting, separating and removing interior contoured shapes in thin substrates, particularly glass substrates. The method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser to form defect lines in the substrate that may be followed by use of a second laser beam to promote isolation of the part defined by the interior contour.

Abstract: Forming holes in a material includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a laser beam focal line oriented along the beam propagation direction and directed into the material, the laser beam focal line generating an induced absorption within the material, the induced absorption producing a defect line along the laser beam focal line within the material, and translating the material and the laser beam relative to each other, thereby forming a plurality of defect lines in the material, and etching the material in an acid solution to produce holes greater than 1 micron in diameter by enlarging the defect lines in the material. A glass article includes a stack of glass substrates with formed holes of 1-100 micron diameter extending through the stack.

Abstract: A method for laser processing a transparent workpiece includes forming a contour line that includes defects, by directing a pulsed laser beam output by a beam source through an aspheric optical element positioned offset in a radial direction from the beam pathway and into the transparent workpiece such that the portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece that produces a defect within the transparent workpiece. The portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece includes a wavelength ?, an effective spot size wo,eff, and a non-axisymmetric beam cross section having a minimum Rayleigh range ZRx,min in an x-direction and a minimum Rayleigh range ZRy,min in a y-direction. Further, the smaller of ZRx,min and ZRy,min is greater than F D = ? ? ? w 0 , eff 2 ? , where FD is a dimensionless divergence factor comprising a value of 10 or greater.

Abstract: A method for processing a transparent workpiece includes directing a pulsed laser beam into the transparent workpiece such that a portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece, thereby forming a damage line within the transparent workpiece, and the portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece includes a wavelength ?, a spot size wo, and a Rayleigh range ZR that is greater than F D ? ? ? w 0 , 2 ? , where FD is a dimensionless divergence factor comprising a value of 10 or greater. Further, the method for processing the transparent workpiece includes etching the transparent workpiece with an etching vapor to remove at least a portion of the transparent workpiece along the damage line, thereby forming an aperture extending through the at least a portion of the thickness of the transparent workpiece.

Abstract: A method for cutting, separating and removing interior contoured shapes in thin substrates, particularly glass substrates. The method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser to form defect lines in the substrate that may be followed by use of a second laser beam to promote isolation of the part defined by the interior contour.

Abstract: Silica-containing substrates including vias with a narrow waist, electronic devices incorporating a silica-containing substrate, and methods of forming vias with narrow waist in silica-containing substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, an article includes a silica-containing substrate including greater than or equal to 85 mol % silica, a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a via extending through the silica-containing substrate from the first surface toward the second surface. The via includes a first diameter at the first surface wherein the first diameter is less than or equal to 100 ?m, a second diameter at the second surface wherein the first diameter is less than or equal to 100 ?m, and a via waist between the first surface and the second surface. The via waist has a waist diameter that is less than the first diameter and the second diameter such that a ratio between the waist diameter and each of the first diameter and the second diameter is less than or equal to 75%.