A vacuum insulating panel includes first and second substrates (e.g., glass substrates), a hermetic edge seal, a pump-out port, and spacers sandwiched between at least the two substrates. The gap between the substrates may be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to provide insulating properties. The vacuum insulating panel may include a multi-layer edge seal structure, including at least one layer including boron oxide (e.g., B.sub.2O.sub.3 or any other stoichiometry).

A vacuum insulating panel may include: a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of spacers provided in a gap between at least the first and second substrates, wherein the gap is at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure; a seal provided between at least the first and second substrates, the seal including a first seal layer and a second seal layer, wherein, for at least one location of the seal, the first seal layer has a first width and the second seal layer has a second width, wherein the first width of the first seal layer may be from about 2-20 mm, more preferably from about 3-10 mm, and possibly from about 4-8 mm.

Methods of making a glass-based article including a surface feature thereon. Methods include arranging a glass-based substrate relative to a laser. Methods also include irradiating the glass-based substrate with laser beam with a light wavelength from about 2500 nm to about 3000 nm to grow a surface feature thereon.

A vacuum insulating panel includes may include: a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of spacers provided in a gap between at least the first and second substrates, wherein the gap is at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure; a seal provided between at least the first and second substrates, the seal comprising a first seal layer and/or a second seal layer; and wherein the first seal layer may include from about 20-80 wt. % tellurium oxide, the tellurium oxide comprising TeO.sub.4 and TeO.sub.3, and wherein the first seal layer comprises more TeO.sub.3 than TeO.sub.4 by wt. %.

A vacuum insulating panel includes first and second substrates (e.g., glass substrates), a hermetic edge seal, a pump-out port, and spacers sandwiched between at least the two substrates. The gap between the substrates may be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to provide insulating properties. The panel may include a getter. The getter may be a thin film getter and/or may be elongated in shape.