A workpiece may be laser processed by a method that may include forming a contour line in the workpiece, and directing an infrared laser beam onto the workpiece along or near the contour line to separate the workpiece along the contour line. The contour line may include defects in the workpiece. The infrared laser beam may have a beam profile such that a greater distribution of cumulated energy from the infrared laser beam is located in areas adjacent to the contour line than directly on the contour line.

A device for producing and removing an internal contour from a planar substrate comprising: a beam-producing- and beam-forming arrangement which is configured to perform: a contour definition step wherein a laser beam is guided over the substrate to produce a plurality of individual zones of internal damage in a substrate material along a contour line defining the internal contour; a crack deformation step, wherein the laser beam is guided over the substrate and produces a plurality of individual zones of internal damage in the substrate material to form a plurality of crack line portions that lead away from the contour line into the internal contour; and a material removal-step, wherein a laser beam directed towards the substrate surface that inscribes a removal line through a thickness of the substrate at the internal contour causes the internal contour to detach from the substrate.

Methods of forming scribe vents in a strengthened glass substrate having a compressive surface layer and an inner tension layer are provided. In one embodiment, a first and second defect is formed to partially expose the inner tension layer. A first scribe vent may be generated in a first scribing direction by translating a laser beam and a cooling jet on a surface of the strengthened glass substrate at a first scribing speed. A second scribe vent intersecting the first scribe vent may be generated in a second scribing direction by translating the laser beam and the cooling jet on the surface of the strengthened glass substrate at a second scribing speed that is greater than the first scribing speed. The defects may be perpendicular to the scribing directions. In another embodiment, the first scribe vent may be fused at an intersection location prior to generating the second scribe vent.

The present invention relates to a method for separating solid-body slices (1) from a donor substrate (2). The method comprises the steps of: producing modifications (10) within the donor substrate (2) by means of laser beams (12), wherein a detachment region is predefined by the modifications (10), along which detachment region the solid-body layer (1) is separated from the donor substrate (2), and removing material from the donor substrate (2), starting from a surface (4) extending in the peripheral direction of the donor substrate (2), in the direction of the centre (Z) of the donor substrate (2), in particular in order to produce a peripheral indentation (6).

A method of manufacturing a glass film includes a forming step of forming a band-shaped glass film by pulling down a glass ribbon flowing down from a forming trough while sandwiching the glass ribbon from both front and back sides through use of roller pairs and a conveyance direction changing step of changing a conveyance direction of the glass film from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction by conveying the glass film along a conveyance path having an arc shape while supporting the glass film from a back surface side with a roller conveyor so that a front surface of the glass film after having passed through the conveyance path faces upward. A first roller to be brought into abutment against the glass film from the front surface side is arranged between a roller pair arranged in a lowermost stage and the roller conveyor.

Methods for cutting strengthened glass are disclosed. The methods can include using a laser. The strengthened glass can include chemically strengthened, heat strengthened, and heat tempered glass. Strengthened glass with edges showing indicia of a laser cutting process are also disclosed. The strengthened glass can include an electrochromic film.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass film, including: a forming step of forming a band-shaped glass film (1); a conveyance direction changing step of changing a conveyance direction of the band-shaped glass film (1) from a vertically downward direction to a horizontal direction by conveying the band-shaped glass film (1) along a curved conveyance path (R1); and a horizontal conveyance step of conveying the band-shaped glass film (1) in the horizontal direction along a horizontal conveyance path (R2), wherein, when some sections of the band-shaped glass film (1) are to be discarded, the method involves: a separating step of separating a discard glass part (1x) from the band-shaped glass film (1) on the horizontal conveyance path (R2); and a discarding step of discarding the separated discard glass part (1x) by causing the discard glass part (1x) to leave the horizontal conveyance path (R2) downward.

A method of managing mechanical stress on a crack tip when separating a flexible glass ribbon includes directing the flexible glass ribbon to an edge trimming apparatus including a cutting device. The flexible glass ribbon includes a first broad surface and a second broad surface that extend laterally between a first edge and a second edge. The first edge of the flexible glass ribbon is separated as the flexible glass ribbon moves by the cutting device forming a continuous strip of edge trim connected to a central portion of the flexible glass ribbon at a crack tip. A width of a gap between the first edge and the central portion is detected using a gap measurement device. A signal is supplied to a controller indicative of the width of the gap. The width of the gap between the first edge and the central portion is adjusted based on the signal using a gap adjustment device.

Provided is a method comprises: continuously forming an elongated, glass film having marginal portions from molten glass into a given shape having two marginal portions, in width-directional opposite edge regions thereof, wherein the glass film having marginal portions has the marginal portions, and an effective portion formed in a width-directional central region of the glass film having marginal portions; annealing the glass film having marginal portions; continuously forming resin tapes on the glass film having marginal portions at positions adjacent to and away by a given distance from the respective marginal portions, to extend in a length direction of the glass film having marginal portions; and continuously removing each of the marginal portions from the glass film having marginal portions, along a position between the marginal portion and a corresponding one of the resin tapes, or at a given width-directional position within the corresponding resin tape.

A method for forming an initiation defect in a glass substrate to facilitate separating the glass substrate into a plurality of substrates is provided. The method includes providing the glass substrate and contacting a broad surface of the glass substrate with an abrasive surface thereby forming a field of initiation defects in the broad surface of the glass substrate. The field of initiation defects has a width of at least about three millimeters between outermost initiation defects. At least one initiation defect is heated with a laser source. The at least one initiation defect is cooled with a cooling fluid such that a crack initiates from the at least one initiation defect, the crack extending through a thickness of the glass substrate and propagating across the glass substrate to separate the glass substrate into the plurality of substrates.