Thin glass elements with improved edge strength are provided—from a sheet glass element that has two opposite parallel faces and an edge connecting the faces. The sheet glass element has a thickness of at most 700 μm. At least a portion of the edge is defined by an edge surface portion that is convexly curved, so that at least one of the faces merges into the edge surface portion, wherein a curved arc of the edge surface portion has a length that is at least 1/30 of the thickness of the sheet glass element. In the region of the convex curvature, the edge surface portion has indentations in the form of furrows.

Thin glass elements with improved edge strength are provided—from a sheet glass element that has two opposite parallel faces and an edge connecting the faces. The sheet glass element has a thickness of at most 700 μm. At least a portion of the edge is defined by an edge surface portion that is convexly curved, so that at least one of the faces merges into the edge surface portion, wherein a curved arc of the edge surface portion has a length that is at least 1/30 of the thickness of the sheet glass element. In the region of the convex curvature, the edge surface portion has indentations in the form of furrows.

A technical object of the present invention is to devise a glass sheet that is suitable for supporting a substrate to be processed to be subjected to high-density wiring and has high end surface strength, and a method of manufacturing the glass sheet, to thereby contribute to an increase in density of a semiconductor package. The glass sheet of the present invention has a total thickness variation of less than 2.0 μm, all or part of an end surface of the glass sheet including a melt-solidified surface.

A technical object of the present invention is to devise a glass sheet that is suitable for supporting a substrate to be processed to be subjected to high-density wiring and has high end surface strength, and a method of manufacturing the glass sheet, to thereby contribute to an increase in density of a semiconductor package. The glass sheet of the present invention has a total thickness variation of less than 2.0 μm, all or part of an end surface of the glass sheet including a melt-solidified surface.

A method of modifying a substrate comprising an etching step comprising contacting one or more primary surfaces of a glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic substrate with a solution for a time period of 20 minutes to 8 hours to generate one or more etched primary surfaces, the solution comprising over 10 percent by weight of one or more alkali hydroxides, the solution having a temperature within the range of 100° C. to 150° C., the substrate having a thickness between the primary surfaces that decreases during the time period by 5 μm to 100 μm at a rate of 2 μm per hour or greater. The solution of the etching step does not comprise hydrogen fluoride. The one or more alkali hydroxides of the solution of the etching step can be sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), or a combination of both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

A method of modifying a substrate comprising an etching step comprising contacting one or more primary surfaces of a glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic substrate with a solution for a time period of 20 minutes to 8 hours to generate one or more etched primary surfaces, the solution comprising over 10 percent by weight of one or more alkali hydroxides, the solution having a temperature within the range of 100° C. to 150° C., the substrate having a thickness between the primary surfaces that decreases during the time period by 5 μm to 100 μm at a rate of 2 μm per hour or greater. The solution of the etching step does not comprise hydrogen fluoride. The one or more alkali hydroxides of the solution of the etching step can be sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), or a combination of both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

An invention is provided for creating smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments. The invention includes placing a plurality of heat-treated glass fragments into a tumbling or vibrating apparatus. Each heat-treated glass fragment is formed from glass that has been heated to a temperature of at least 1000° Fahrenheit and rapidly cooled to a temperature below 800° Fahrenheit. The plurality of glass fragments is then tumbled or vibrated for a predetermined period of time such that surfaces of the heat-treated glass fragments are smoother than prior to tumbling. The glass fragments are thereafter removed from the tumbling apparatus, resulting in smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments that have a slightly rounded, bead like-shape and are suitable for direct handling without hand protection.

An invention is provided for creating smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments. The invention includes placing a plurality of heat-treated glass fragments into a tumbling or vibrating apparatus. Each heat-treated glass fragment is formed from glass that has been heated to a temperature of at least 1000° Fahrenheit and rapidly cooled to a temperature below 800° Fahrenheit. The plurality of glass fragments is then tumbled or vibrated for a predetermined period of time such that surfaces of the heat-treated glass fragments are smoother than prior to tumbling. The glass fragments are thereafter removed from the tumbling apparatus, resulting in smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments that have a slightly rounded, bead like-shape and are suitable for direct handling without hand protection.

A method of fabricating a shaped optical element for refracting infrared light. The method can include providing a chalcogenide glass mass within a precision mold, the chalcogenide glass mass having a starting volume that is equal to or less than about 105% of the volume of the shaped optical element, precision molding the chalcogenide glass mass by providing heat and pressure to form the chalcogenide glass mass into a near-net shaped optical element, removing the near-net shaped optical element from the precision mold, and refining the near-net shaped optical element to generate the shaped optical element, the outside diameter of the near-net shaped optical element being less than or equal to 25 μm larger than an outside diameter of the shaped optical element. The near-net shaped optical element can have an outside diameter less than 20 μm greater than the outside diameter of the shaped optical element.

A method of fabricating a shaped optical element for refracting infrared light. The method can include providing a chalcogenide glass mass within a precision mold, the chalcogenide glass mass having a starting volume that is equal to or less than about 105% of the volume of the shaped optical element, precision molding the chalcogenide glass mass by providing heat and pressure to form the chalcogenide glass mass into a near-net shaped optical element, removing the near-net shaped optical element from the precision mold, and refining the near-net shaped optical element to generate the shaped optical element, the outside diameter of the near-net shaped optical element being less than or equal to 25 μm larger than an outside diameter of the shaped optical element. The near-net shaped optical element can have an outside diameter less than 20 μm greater than the outside diameter of the shaped optical element.