An apparatus includes a beam splitter and a plurality of mirrors. The beam splitter is positioned to receive a laser beam from a source and split the received laser beam to a first plurality of split laser beams and a second plurality of split laser beams. The plurality of mirrors is configured to direct the first plurality of split laser beams and further configured to direct the second plurality of split laser beams. The first plurality of split laser beams is directed by the plurality of mirrors is configured to cut a glass substrate. The second plurality of split laser beams is directed by the plurality of mirrors is configured to shape the glass substrate.

Provided is method of producing a glass roll, the method including: a conveying step of conveying a glass film (G) along a longitudinal direction thereof; a cutting step of irradiating the glass film (G) with a laser beam (L) from a laser irradiation apparatus (19) while conveying the glass film (G) by the conveying step, to thereby separate the glass film (G) into a non-product portion (Gc) and a product portion (Gd); and a take-up step of taking up the product portion (Gd) into a roll shape, to thereby form a glass roll (R). The cutting step includes winding a thread-like peeled material (Ge) generated from an end portion of the product portion (Gd) in a width direction around a rod-shaped collecting member (20a), to thereby collect the thread-like peeled material (Ge).

Disclosed is a system for efficiently cutting a transparent substrate. The system includes a laser source in optical communication with at least one multi-foci optical system. The laser source outputs at least one optical signal to the optical system. The optical system is positioned between the laser source and the substrate to be cut. The optical system includes at least one housing detachably coupled to at least one base member. One or more plate members having one or more apertures formed therein may be coupled to at least one of the housing, the baser member, or both. The aperture formed on the plate member may be configured to permit the optical signal to enter and exit the optical system. Various optical subassemblies may be positioned within or coupled to the optical system.

A method for laser processing a transparent workpiece includes forming a contour line that includes defects, by directing a pulsed laser beam output by a beam source through an aspheric optical element positioned offset in a radial direction from the beam pathway and into the transparent workpiece such that the portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece that produces a defect within the transparent workpiece. The portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece includes a wavelength , an effective spot size w.sub.o,eff, and a non-axisymmetric beam cross section having a minimum Rayleigh range Z.sub.Rx,min in an x-direction and a minimum Rayleigh range Z.sub.Ry,min in a y-direction. Further, the smaller of Z.sub.Rx,min and Z.sub.Ry,min is greater than F.sub.Dw.sub.0,eff.sup.2/, where F.sub.D is a dimensionless divergence factor comprising a value of 10 or greater.

A laser beam machining method and a laser beam machining device capable of cutting a work without producing a fusing and a cracking out of a predetermined cutting line on the surface of the work, wherein at pulse laser beam is radiated on the predetermined cut line on the surface of the work under the conditions causing a multiple photon absorption and with a condensed point aligned to the inside of the work, and a modified area is formed inside the work along the predetermined determined cut line by moving the condensed point along the predetermined cut line, whereby the work can be cut with a rather small force by cracking the work along the predetermined cut line starting from the modified area and, because the pulse laser beam radiated is not almost absorbed onto the surface of the work, the surface is not fused even if the modified area is formed.

A conveying device (14) for a glass film (G) includes: a first support (21) configured to support a first portion (Gc) of the glass film (G) having been cut; a second support (22) configured to support a second portion (Gd) of the glass film (G) having been cut; and an opening (23) formed at a position between the first support (21) and the second support (22) and below a laser irradiation apparatus (19). A cutting step for the glass film (G) includes deforming the glass film (G) so as to be convex downward through the opening (23), and radiating a laser beam (LB) from the laser irradiation apparatus (19) to a position which is within a range of the opening (23), and which is prevented from coinciding with a top (GT) of the glass film (G).

A method includes projecting energy onto an annular edge of a glass substrate. The annular edge includes a first roughness. The first roughness is reduced to a second roughness with the energy. The energy reduces the first roughness without changing a roundness of the annular edge of the glass substrate.

A method for laser processing a transparent workpiece includes forming a contour line that includes defects, by directing a pulsed laser beam output by a beam source through an aspheric optical element positioned offset in a radial direction from the beam pathway and into the transparent workpiece such that the portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece generates an induced absorption within the transparent workpiece that produces a defect within the transparent workpiece. The portion of the pulsed laser beam directed into the transparent workpiece includes a wavelength , an effective spot size w.sub.o,eff, and a non-axisymmetric beam cross section having a minimum Rayleigh range Z.sub.Rx,min in an x-direction and a minimum Rayleigh range Z.sub.Ry,min in a y-direction. Further, the smaller of Z.sub.Rx,min and Z.sub.Ry,min is greater than $F_D\frac{w_{0,\mathrm{eff}}^2}{},$
where F.sub.D is a dimensionless divergence factor comprising a value of 10 or greater.

A method produces a structured element by machining a workpiece with pulsed laser radiation, the workpiece including a workpiece material transparent to the laser radiation, the laser radiation being radiated into the workpiece from an entry side and, in an area of a rear side of the workpiece located opposite the entry side, being focused within the workpiece in a focus area such that workpiece material is removed in the focus area by multi-photon absorption, and includes bringing the rear side of the workpiece, at least in a machining area currently being machined around the focus area, into contact with a free-flowing liquid transparent to the laser radiation, wherein at least some of the liquid flows in a direction towards the machining area such that the liquid flows into the machining area at an angle of 60 or less to the rear side.

A plurality of molded cover members are manufactured by first singulating a single sheet of cover material, such as glass, into a plurality of separate, discrete cover members, placing the cover members in spaced-apart positions on a releaseable carrier, and applying a molded material to the perimeter of each cover member. The molded material can be applied by a blanket molding technique whereby gaps between adjacent cover members are filled, and then the cover members are singulated, leaving a portion of the cover material on the perimeter of each cover member, and then the singulated, molded cover members are released from the releasable carrier. Alternatively, the molded material is applied by a patterned molding technique whereby molding material is applied to the perimeter of each cover member without fully filling the gaps between adjacent cover members, and then the molded cover members are released from the releasable carrier.