Abstract: A method for forming a plurality of precision holes in a substrate by drilling, including affixing a sacrificial cover layer to a surface of the substrate, positioning a laser beam in a predetermined location relative to the substrate and corresponding to a desired location of one of the plurality of precision holes, forming a through hole in the sacrificial cover layer by repeatedly pulsing a laser beam at the predetermined location, and pulsing the laser beam into the through hole formed in the sacrificial cover layer. A work piece having precision holes including a substrate having the precision holes formed therein, wherein a longitudinal axis of each precision hole extends in a thickness direction of the substrate, and a sacrificial cover layer detachably affixed to a surface of the substrate, such that the sacrificial cover layer reduces irregularities of the precision holes.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for cutting and separating arbitrary shapes of thin substrates of transparent materials, particularly tailored composite fusion drawn glass sheets, and the disclosure also relates to a glass article prepared by the method. The developed laser method can be tailored for manual separation of the parts from the panel or full laser separation by thermally stressing the desired profile. The self-separation method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser that can be followed by a CO2 laser (coupled with high pressure air flow) for fully automated separation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for cutting and separating arbitrary shapes of thin substrates of transparent materials, particularly tailored composite fusion drawn glass sheets, and the disclosure also relates to a glass article prepared by the method. The developed laser method can be tailored for manual separation of the parts from the panel or full laser separation by thermally stressing the desired profile. The self-separation method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser that can be followed by a CO2 laser (coupled with high pressure air flow) for fully automated separation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for cutting and separating arbitrary shapes of thin substrates of transparent materials, particularly tailored composite fusion drawn glass sheets, and the disclosure also relates to a glass article prepared by the method. The developed laser method can be tailored for manual separation of the parts from the panel or full laser separation by thermally stressing the desired profile. The self-separation method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser that can be followed by a CO2 laser (coupled with high pressure air flow) for fully automated separation.

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: A method of arresting propagation of an incident crack through a transparent material includes focusing pulsed laser beams into a laser beam focal line directed into the transparent material a series of locations corresponding to a predetermined pattern that is designed to arrest an incident crack that propagates through the transparent material, and generating, with the laser beam focal line (1460), an induced absorption within the transparent material in order to produce a defect (1440) in the transparent material.

Abstract: A system for laser drilling of a material includes a pulsed laser configured to produce a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength less than or equal to about 850 nm, the wavelength selected such that the material is substantially transparent at this wavelength. The system further includes an optical assembly positioned in the beam path of the laser, configured to transform the laser beam into a laser beam focal line oriented along the beam propagation direction, on a beam emergence side of the optical assembly.

Abstract: A method of laser processing a material to form a separated part. The method includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a laser beam focal line, viewed along the beam propagation direction, directed into the material, the laser beam focal line generating an induced absorption within the material, the induced absorption producing a hole or fault line along the laser beam focal line within the material, and directing a defocused carbon dioxide (CO2) laser from a distal edge of the material over the plurality of holes to a proximal edge of the material.

Abstract: Systems and methods of measuring ferrule-core concentricity for an optical fiber held by a ferrule are disclosed. The method includes: generating ferrule distance data by measuring distances to a ferrule outside surface as a function of rotation angle using a distance sensor and rotating either the ferrule or the distance sensor about an axis of rotation that is off-center from the true ferrule axis; aligning the axis of rotation with the fiber core; using the ferrule distance data to determine a position of the true ferrule center relative to the optical fiber core; and measuring the concentricity as the distance between the true center of the ferrule and the optical fiber core.

Abstract: Systems and methods of measuring ferrule-core concentricity for an optical fiber held by a ferrule are disclosed. The method includes: generating ferrule distance data by measuring distances to a ferrule outside surface as a function of rotation angle using a distance sensor and rotating either the ferrule or the distance sensor about an axis of rotation that is off-center from the true ferrule axis; aligning the axis of rotation with the fiber core; using the ferrule distance data to determine a position of the true ferrule center relative to the optical fiber core; and measuring the concentricity as the distance between the true center of the ferrule and the optical fiber core.

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: 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: Processes of chamfering and/or beveling an edge of a glass substrate of arbitrary shape using lasers are described herein. Two general methods to produce chamfers on glass substrates are the first method involves cutting the edge with the desired chamfer shape utilizing an ultra-short pulse laser to create perforations within the glass; followed by an ion exchange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for cutting and separating interior contours in thin substrates of transparent materials, in particular glass. The method involves the utilization of an ultra-short pulse laser to form perforation or holes in the substrate, that may be followed by use of a CO2 laser beam to promote full separation about the perforated line.

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: 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 gas permeable glass window, suitable for use with liquid interface additive manufacturing, has an optically transparent glass article greater than about 0.5 millimeters in thickness defining a first surface and a second surface. A plurality of gas channels are disposed through the article from the first surface to the second surface. The gas channels occupy less than about 1.0% of a surface area of the article and are configured such that the article has a gas permeability between about 10 barrers and about 2000 barrers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining and quantifying “sparkle”—the random noise that is generated when a pixelated image is viewed through a roughened surface of a transparent sample. The apparatus includes a pixelated source and an imaging system located in an optical path originating from the pixelated source, wherein a transparent sample may be placed in the optical path between the pixelated source and the optical system. The degree of sparkle is determined by obtaining an integrated image for the pixelated image; and calculating a standard deviation of the integrated pixel power. An objective level of sparkle can be defined by correlating the amount of sparkle provided by the apparatus with visual impressions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for laser-cutting thermally tempered substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of separating a thermally tempered substrate includes directing a laser beam focal line such that at least a portion of the laser beam focal line is within a bulk of the thermally tempered substrate. The focused pulsed laser beam is pulsed to form a sequence of pulse bursts comprising one or more sub-pulses. The laser beam focal line produces a damage track within the bulk of the tempered substrate along the laser beam focal line. Relative motion is provided between the focused pulsed laser beam and the tempered substrate such that the pulsed laser beam forms a sequence of damage tracks within the tempered substrate. Individual damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks are separated by a lateral spacing, and one or more microcracks connect adjacent damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks.

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 >1 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 focal line is directed into the glass composite workpiece, generating induced absorption within the material. The workpiece and the laser beam are translated relative to each other to form a plurality of defect lines along a contour, with adjacent defect lines have a spacing of 0.1-20 microns.