In a method for manufacturing a glass plate that includes chamfering processing for chamfering an edge surface of a glass plate, the chamfering processing includes a step of forming a chamfered surface by irradiating the edge surface of the glass plate with a laser beam, and a step of heating the glass plate before the chamfered surface is formed. When a temperature of the glass blank at which the glass blank is heated is Tp [ C.], a glass transition point of the glass blank is Tg [ C.], and an average coefficient of linear thermal expansion of the glass blank is [1/ C.], (TgTp)5.6710.sup.7.Math.+840 is satisfied.

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.

This invention disclosure addresses the fabrication of deformable microstructured and textured sheets of transparent materials such as glass. The flexible structures have islands of arbitrary geometrical shapes interconnected by springs. Structuring is performed using ultrafast laser pulses and specially designed post-processing. The fabrication process does not create any cracks perpendicular to the cut lines, and therefore, resulting deformable structures are capable of sustaining static and cyclic in-plane tensile and compressive forces, bending moments and twisting torques. Flexible structures of this invention, fabricated using thin sheets of glass, can deform to complex surfaces through stretching, compression and folding in all directions.

Processes of chamfering and/or beveling an edge of a glass substrate of arbitrary shape using lasers are described herein. Two general methods to produce chamfers on glass substrates are the first method involves cutting the edge with the desired chamfer shape utilizing an ultra-short pulse laser to create perforations within the glass; followed by an ion exchange.

A manufacturing method of a glass substrate with a hole having a diameter .sub.f, and with a thickness .sub.f includes setting a thickness .sub.1 of a glass plate that is to be processed; preparing a glass plate with the thickness .sub.1, having first and second surfaces opposite to each other; forming one initial characteristic object or two or more initial characteristic objects in the glass plate by irradiating the glass plate with a laser from a side of the first surface of the glass plate, the initial characteristic object having a size of a diameter .sub.1 on the first surface; and performing wet etching for the glass plate having the initial characteristic object, so that from the initial characteristic object a hole having the diameter .sub.f on the first surface is formed, and a thickness of the glass plate is adjusted from .sub.1 to a target value of .sub.f.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass film, including: a conveying step of conveying an elongated glass film (G) along a longitudinal direction thereof; and 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) through the conveying step, to thereby separate the glass film (G). The cutting step includes generating a thread-like peeled material (Ge) in a helical shape from an end portion of the separated glass film (G) in a width direction. The thread-like peeled material (Ge) has a width (W) of 180 m or more and 300 m or less. In addition, the thread-like peeled material (Ge) has a helical diameter (D) of 80 mm or more and 200 mm or less.

Disclosed is a method of forming a hole in a glass substrate by using a pulsed laser, the method including (1) preparing the glass substrate including a first surface and a second surface that face each other; (2) forming a concave portion on the first surface by irradiating, with a first condition, the pulsed laser onto the first surface of the glass substrate through a lens; and (3) forming the hole by irradiating the pulsed laser onto the concave portion with a second condition such that energy density of the pulsed laser is less than or equal to a processing threshold value of the glass substrate.

Processes of chamfering and/or beveling an edge of a glass or other substrate of arbitrary shape using lasers are described herein. Three general methods to produce chamfers on glass substrates are disclosed. The first method involves cutting the edge with the desired chamfer shape utilizing an ultra-short pulse laser. Treatment with the ultra-short laser may be optionally followed by a CO.sub.2 laser for fully automated separation. The second method is based on thermal stress peeling of a sharp edge corner, and it has been demonstrated to work with different combination of an ultrashort pulse and/or CO.sub.2 lasers. A third method relies on stresses induced by ion exchange to effect separation of material along a fault line produced by an ultra-short laser to form a chamfered edge of desired shape.

Disclosed is a method of forming a hole in a glass substrate by using a pulsed laser, the method including (1) preparing the glass substrate including a first surface and a second surface that face each other; (2) forming a concave portion on the first surface by irradiating, with a first condition, the pulsed laser onto the first surface of the glass substrate through a lens; and (3) forming the hole by irradiating the pulsed laser onto the concave portion with a second condition such that energy density of the pulsed laser is less than or equal to a processing threshold value of the glass substrate.

A method for cutting glass is disclosed. A glass substrate is provided, the glass substrate includes at least one cutting surface, some micro-fractures are formed on the cutting surface. A conductivity material is provided and coated on the cutting surface to form a conductivity material layer. The conductivity material layer can absorb laser energy. The conductivity material layer is irradiated by laser. The glass substrate adjoined to the cutting surface is fused to repair the micro-fractures.