Low-temperature evaporative glass scoring using a single-mode ytterbium fiber laser

Glass cutting is increasingly important in industry to cut glass into various sizes for high definition televisions, cell phones, laptops, and tablet computers. A conventional mechanical cutter is usually used to score the glass before a bending force is applied to separate the glass along the scoring mark. This paper presents a laser glass scoring technique aimed at replacing the mechanical cutter to reduce cracks. This scoring technique, denoted as the Low-temperature Evaporative Glass Scoring process (LEGS), is different because laser energy is not directly absorbed by the glass. To achieve the proposed laser scoring, a laser beam is focused through the glass onto a metal substrate. The metal substrate absorbs the laser energy to generate a metal vapor to etch the glass, forming a scoring mark. The feasibility of this glass scoring technique is demonstrated using a continuous-wave fiber laser, at a low power of 60 W, and a 7075-T6 Aluminum alloy plate as the metal substrate. When the laser beam scans across the substrate, the laser energy creates a quasi-static aluminum molten pool, covered by an aluminum vapor at a temperature about 3000 K. At an optimal setting of 51 μm gap distance, 60 W laser power, and 6 mm/s scoring speed, a uniform scoring mark of 37 μm width and 120 μm depth was successfully generated on a piece of soda-lime glass without visible micro-cracks. The paper also discussed the uncertainties and their remedies involved in the LEGS process. To facilitate the process design, a model for predicting the aluminum vapor temperature was developed. This model accounted for the laser focus, reflection, absorption and transmission, laser energy distribution, and the aluminum melting and vaporization processes. Finally, this model was validated by comparing the actual melt depth of the aluminum substrate with the one predicted by the model.

► A laser glass scoring technique was developed to replace the mechanical cutter.
► The feasibility is demonstrated using a continuous-wave fiber laser.
► A 20 micron uniform groove without micro-cracks was scored on soda-lime glass.
► A model for predicting aluminum vapor temperature is developed for process design.
► This model is validated by the actual melt depth of the aluminum substrate.