Abstract: A method of preparing a workpiece for laser bonding includes positioning a first metal gasket on a fixture; positioning a first surface of a substrate on the first metal gasket, wherein the fixture, the first metal gasket and the first surface of the substrate define a first cavity; applying a vacuum to the first cavity, the vacuum pulling the substrate against the first metal gasket; and directing a laser at an interface of the first metal gasket and the first surface of the substrate, wherein the laser forms a bond between the first metal gasket and the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Durable calibration standards are described herein for inspection systems for manufactured vials, such as glass pharmaceutical vials, and methods of using the same. A grayscale calibration standard is provided for calibration of camera settings of imaging components in an inspection system. The grayscale calibration standard comprises a vial having a laser etched gradient image on a portion of the vial. A region of interest (ROI) calibration standard is provided for calibration of spatial difference of imaging components and to align imaging components in an inspection system to capture desired regions of interest. The ROI calibration standard comprises a vial comprising laser etchings on one or more portions of the vial, wherein the laser etchings comprise laser markings formed in a geometric pattern. By providing laser-marked calibration standards, the calibration standards may be used in many different modes of metrology.

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: 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: 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: 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: A method for laser processing a substrate stack includes forming a defect in a transparent workpiece of the substrate stack having a black matrix layer. Forming the defect includes directing a portion of a pulsed laser beam into the transparent workpiece. The pulsed laser beam 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. The pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece of the substrate stack forms a pulsed laser beam focal line disposed within the transparent workpiece, where a center of the pulsed laser beam focal line is offset from an edge of the black matrix layer by a distance that is about 20% or less of a total thickness of the substrate stack and generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method of scribing a ceramic material are provided. In the method, a ceramic material having a thickness of 500 ?m or less between a first outer surface and a second outer surface is provided. The second outer surface is opposite the first outer surface. A beam focal line is directed at the ceramic material, and the beam focal line has a length over which its intensity is greater than a damage threshold of the ceramic material. The length is longer than the thickness of the ceramic material. Further, a damage track defining at least a first section of the ceramic material and a second section of the ceramic material is created by moving the beam focal line relative to the ceramic material. Also provided are embodiments of a laser scribed component and embodiments of a laser scribed ceramic substrate.

Abstract: The methods of singulating an optical waveguide sheet that supports sheet optical waveguides include irradiating the optical waveguide sheet with a focused laser beam comprising ultrafast light pulses to form within the body of the optical waveguide sheet modified regions, which along with unmodified regions, that define a singulation line. The modified regions define modified sections that are spaced apart by the unmodified sections, which reside at locations of the sheet optical waveguides. The optical waveguide sheet is separated along the singulation line to form an optical waveguide substrate with substrate waveguides formed by sections of the sheet optical waveguides. The optical waveguide substrate has an end face with both smooth and rough sections. The substrate waveguides have end surfaces that terminate at the smooth sections, thereby enabling low-loss optical coupling to other optical components.

Abstract: The methods of singulating an optical waveguide sheet that supports sheet optical waveguides include irradiating the optical waveguide sheet with a focused laser beam comprising ultrafast light pulses to form within the body of the optical waveguide sheet modified regions, which along with unmodified regions, that define a singulation line. The modified regions define modified sections that are spaced apart by the unmodified sections, which reside at locations of the sheet optical waveguides. The optical waveguide sheet is separated along the singulation line to form an optical waveguide substrate with substrate waveguides formed by sections of the sheet optical waveguides. The optical waveguide substrate has an end face with both smooth and rough sections. The substrate waveguides have end surfaces that terminate at the smooth sections, thereby enabling low-loss optical coupling to other optical components.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are backlight units comprising a light guide assembly including (110) a light guide plate (105) and least one light valve layer (115), and at least one light source (125) optically coupled to the light guide plate (105), wherein regions of the light guide assembly (110) are configured to switch between active and inactive states, wherein an active region transmits at least about 90% of incident light and an inactive region transmits less than about 10% of incident light. Display devices comprising such backlight units are further disclosed as well as methods for displaying an image.

Abstract: A method for laser processing a laminate workpiece stack includes forming a contour line in a first transparent workpiece of the laminate workpiece stack having a resin layer disposed between the first transparent workpiece and a second transparent workpiece. Forming the contour line includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a pulsed laser beam focal line directed into the first transparent workpiece to generate an induced absorption within the first transparent workpiece and translating the pulsed laser beam focal line along a first workpiece separation line, thereby laser forming the contour line having a plurality of defects. The method also includes separating the resin layer along a resin separation line by focusing the pulsed laser beam into the pulsed laser beam focal line directed into the resin layer and translating the pulsed laser beam focal line along the resin separation line, thereby laser ablating the resin layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a glass article includes steps of: providing a glass substrate sheet, forming a first array of first damage regions, forming a second array of second damage regions which define a plurality of portions, wherein the second array of second damage regions define one or more interrupted zones. The interrupted zones may have a largest dimension of about 10 microns or greater. The method further includes steps of etching the glass substrate and singulating the plurality of portions from the glass substrate sheet.

Abstract: A method of forming a glass article includes steps of: providing a glass substrate sheet, forming a first array of first damage regions, forming a second array of second damage regions which define a plurality of portions, wherein the second array of second damage regions define one or more interrupted zones. The interrupted zones may have a largest dimension of about 10 microns or greater. The method further includes steps of etching the glass substrate and singulating the plurality of portions from the glass substrate sheet.

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: A method for laser processing a substrate stack includes forming a defect in a transparent workpiece of the substrate stack having a black matrix layer. Forming the defect includes directing a portion of a pulsed laser beam into the transparent workpiece. The pulsed laser beam 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. The pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece of the substrate stack forms a pulsed laser beam focal line disposed within the transparent workpiece, where a center of the pulsed laser beam focal line is offset from an edge of the black matrix layer by a distance that is about 20% or less of a total thickness of the substrate stack and generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece.

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: 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: 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.