A flexure hinge with two material segments connected to each other via a material tapering to a thin spot which defines a pivot axis between the two material segments. The material segments are provided with recesses such that the strength existing in the thin spot with respect to normal stresses or bending stresses is kept largely constant within a distance from the thin spot.

A laser processing apparatus includes a spatial light modulator for inputting laser light output from a laser light source and outputting laser light after phase modulation by a hologram, and a control unit for presenting, on the spatial light modulator, the hologram for focusing the laser light after the phase modulation output from the spatial light modulator on a plurality of irradiation points in a processing object by a focusing optical system. The control unit sets at least one of a shape and a size of a processing region defined by the irradiation points in a first plane intersecting an optical axis of the laser light and a processing region defined by the irradiation points in a second plane intersecting the optical axis and separated from the first plane in a direction of the optical axis to be different from each other.

A method of separating a substrate includes directing a laser beam into the substrate such that a focal line is formed with at least a portion of the laser beam focal line within a bulk of the substrate at an oblique angle with respect to a laser-incident surface of the substrate. The laser beam focal line is formed by a pulsed laser beam that is disposed along a beam propagation direction. The method further includes pulsing the pulsed laser beam from a first edge of the substrate to a second edge of the substrate in a single pass. The laser beam focal line generates an induced multi-photon absorption within the substrate that produces a damage track within the bulk of the substrate along the laser beam focal line, and the damage track is at an oblique angle relative to the laser-incident surface of the substrate.

A method of separating a substrate includes directing a laser beam into the substrate such that a focal line is formed with at least a portion of the laser beam focal line within a bulk of the substrate at an oblique angle with respect to a laser-incident surface of the substrate. The laser beam focal line is formed by a pulsed laser beam that is disposed along a beam propagation direction. The method further includes pulsing the pulsed laser beam from a first edge of the substrate to a second edge of the substrate in a single pass. The laser beam focal line generates an induced multi-photon absorption within the substrate that produces a damage track within the bulk of the substrate along the laser beam focal line, and the damage track is at an oblique angle relative to the laser-incident surface of the substrate.

A method of fabricating a high-density array of holes in glass is provided, comprising providing a glass piece having a front surface, then irradiating the front surface of the glass piece with a UV laser beam focused to a focal point within +/−100 μm of the front surface of the glass piece most desirably within +/−50 μm of the front surface. The lens focusing the laser has a numerical aperture desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.4, more desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.15 for glass thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.63 mm, even more desirably in the range of from 0.12 to 0.13, so as to produce open holes extending into the glass piece 100 from the front surface 102 of the glass piece, the holes having an diameter the in range of from 5 to 15 μm, and an aspect ratio of at least 20:1. For thinner glass, in the range of from 0.1-0.3 mm, the numerical aperture is desirably from 0.25 to 0.4, more desirably from 0.25 to 0.3, and the beam is preferably focused to within +/−30 μm of the front surface of the glass. The laser is desirable operated at a repetition rate of about 15 kHz or below. An array of holes thus produced may then be enlarged by etching. The front surface may be polished prior to etching, if desired.

A method of fabricating a high-density array of holes in glass is provided, comprising providing a glass piece having a front surface, then irradiating the front surface of the glass piece with a UV laser beam focused to a focal point within +/−100 μm of the front surface of the glass piece most desirably within +/−50 μm of the front surface. The lens focusing the laser has a numerical aperture desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.4, more desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.15 for glass thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.63 mm, even more desirably in the range of from 0.12 to 0.13, so as to produce open holes extending into the glass piece 100 from the front surface 102 of the glass piece, the holes having an diameter the in range of from 5 to 15 μm, and an aspect ratio of at least 20:1. For thinner glass, in the range of from 0.1-0.3 mm, the numerical aperture is desirably from 0.25 to 0.4, more desirably from 0.25 to 0.3, and the beam is preferably focused to within +/−30 μm of the front surface of the glass. The laser is desirable operated at a repetition rate of about 15 kHz or below. An array of holes thus produced may then be enlarged by etching. The front surface may be polished prior to etching, if desired.

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes: forming a plurality of display devices in a display area of a substrate including an opening area and the display area surrounding the opening area; and forming an opening in the opening area, wherein the forming of the opening includes: performing a first scan operation, whereby a laser beam is irradiated onto an edge of the opening area in a direction of the substrate along a plurality of first unit paths; and performing a second scan operation, whereby the laser beam is irradiated onto the edge of the opening area in the direction of the substrate along a plurality of second unit paths that are different from the plurality of first unit paths.

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus includes: forming a plurality of display devices in a display area of a substrate including an opening area and the display area surrounding the opening area; and forming an opening in the opening area, wherein the forming of the opening includes: performing a first scan operation, whereby a laser beam is irradiated onto an edge of the opening area in a direction of the substrate along a plurality of first unit paths; and performing a second scan operation, whereby the laser beam is irradiated onto the edge of the opening area in the direction of the substrate along a plurality of second unit paths that are different from the plurality of first unit paths.

A spatial filter is made by forming a structure comprising a focusing element and an opaque surface, the opaque surface being disposed remotely from the focusing element in substantially the same plane as a focal plane of the focusing element; and by forming a pinhole in the opaque surface at or adjacent to a focal point of the focusing element by transmitting a substantially collimated laser beam through the focusing element so that a point optimally corresponding to the focal point is identified on the opaque surface and imperfection of the focusing element, if any, is reflected on the shape and position of the pinhole so formed.

A spatial filter is made by forming a structure comprising a focusing element and an opaque surface, the opaque surface being disposed remotely from the focusing element in substantially the same plane as a focal plane of the focusing element; and by forming a pinhole in the opaque surface at or adjacent to a focal point of the focusing element by transmitting a substantially collimated laser beam through the focusing element so that a point optimally corresponding to the focal point is identified on the opaque surface and imperfection of the focusing element, if any, is reflected on the shape and position of the pinhole so formed.