Device and method for cutting out contours from planar substrates by means of laser

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A device for producing a contour (1) in a planar substrate (2) and for separating the contour (1) from the substrate (2), in particular for producing an internal contour (1) in the planar substrate (2) and for removing the internal contour (1) from the substrate (2), comprising: a central control unit (22); a beam-producing- and beam-forming arrangement (19) which is configured such that beam production, beam focusing and beam deflection is controlled with the central control unit (22) to perform: a contour definition step (a) wherein a laser beam (3) is guided over the substrate (2) along a contour line (5) defining the contour (1) to be produced, and producing a plurality of individual zones (5-1, 5-2, . . . ) of internal damage in the substrate (2) material; and a material removal- and/or material deformation step (c) performed after the contour definition step (a), wherein, the material removal step comprises (i) a laser beam (7) directed towards the substrate (2) surface that inscribes a removal line (9) through a thickness (10) of the substrate (2) and within the contour (1) allowing for a portion of the substrate (2) to become detached, and (ii) a process gas directed towards the substrate via a gas nozzle, and wherein, the material deformation step comprises a laser beam impinging the substrate (2) to thermally deform portions of the substrate (2) within the contour (1) thus causing the contour (1) to detach from the substrate (2); and a crack deformation step (b), which is performed before the material removal- and/or material deformation step (c) and after the contour definition step (a), wherein the laser beam (3) is guided over the substrate (2) and produces a plurality of individual zones (6-1, 6-2, . . . ) of internal damage in the substrate material to form a plurality of crack line portions (6a, 6b, . . . ) that lead away from the contour line (5) at an angle α>0° and into the contour (1) to be separated; wherein the beam-producing- and beam-forming arrangement (19) comprises: a first laser (12) producing the laser beam (3) to be guided in the contour definition step (a) and in the crack deformation step (b), wherein the laser beam (3) forms a laser beam focal line via an optical assembly positioned in a beam path of the first laser (12), the optical assembly comprising: a first focusing optical element with spherical aberration configured to generate the laser beam focal line, wherein the first focusing optical element is an axicon and a second focusing optical element spaced a distance of about 300 mm apart from the first focusing optical element, wherein the second focusing optical element is a plano-convex lens, wherein the second focusing element is spaced a distance of about 20 mm from the planar substrate (2), wherein the average diameter δ of the laser beam (3), when impinging on the irradiated surface of the substrate (2) is between 0.5 μm and 5 μm, and a pulse repetition frequency of the first laser (12) producing the laser beam (3) is between 10 kHz and 1,000 kHz, and the first laser (12) is operated as a burst pulse laser, and the average laser power of the first laser (12) is between 10 watts and 100 watts; a second laser (14) producing the material-removing laser beam (7) to be guided and/or to be radiated in the material removal- and/or material deformation step (c); a first beam-guiding optical unit (20) with which, in the contour definition step (a) and in the crack deformation step (b), the laser beam (3) produced with the first laser (12) can be guided over the substrate (2), wherein the first beam-guiding optical unit (20) comprise a first F-theta lens, and a second beam-guiding optical unit (21) with which, in the material removal- and/or material deformation step (c), the laser beam (7) produced with the second laser (14) can be guided over the substrate (2) and/or radiated onto the substrate (2), wherein the second beam-guiding optical unit (21) comprises a second F-theta lens having a focal distance that is greater than the focal distance of the first F-theta lens.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein, the material removal- and/or material deformation step (c) is performed after the contour definition step (a) and wherein the material-removing laser beam (7) is guided over the substrate (2) along the removal line (9) which extends along the contour line (5) but at a spacing (8) from the latter and also in the contour (1) to be separated, and the substrate material is removed over the entire substrate thickness (10).

3. The device of claim 1, in the material deformation step, the laser beam is a CO.sub.2 laser beam that plastically deforms portions of the substrate (2).

4. The device of claim 1, the beam-producing- and beam-forming arrangement (19) is further configured to perform: an after treatment step that is performed after the material removal- and/or material deformation step (c), to remove remains (1r) of the contour (1) from the substrate (2); the after treatment step comprises a thermal treatment of the contour remains (1r) that includes local non-homogenous heating by guidance of a CO.sub.2 laser beam, at least in portions, over the contour line (5) and/or the crack line portions (6a, 6b, . . . ).

5. The device of claim 1, the substrate is transparent or essentially transparent to the wavelength of the material-removing laser beam (7); the material-removing laser beam (7) is focused through the substrate (2) into a focal point (15) situated on a rear-side (4r) of the substrate (2), which rear-side (4r) is oriented away from a front-side (4v) of the substrate (2) facing the incident laser beam (7); and the material-removing laser beam (7) is guided several times through the removal line (9) with successive displacement of the focal point (15) from the substrate rear-side (4r) towards the substrate front-side (4v) in order to remove the substrate material over the entire substrate thickness (10).

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising: a mounting (16) including a cavity (17) with a precipitation material (18) within the cavity, such that when the substrate (2) is mounted with the contour (1) to be separated and disposed between the substrate rear-side (4r) and the mounting (16), the cavity (17) is gas-sealed; and the beam-producing- and beam-forming arrangement (19) is further configured to focus the laser beam (3) or laser beam (7) into the cavity (17) to vaporise the precipitation material (18).

7. A glass substrate cutting device comprising: a first laser configured to emit laser beams through an optical arrangement and toward a planar surface of the glass substrate that faces the emitted laser beams; the laser beams having a wavelength to which the glass substrate is essentially transparent; and the optical arrangement manipulating the laser beams to have a focal line that falls within the glass substrate, wherein the first laser is a pulsed laser, and the laser beams that the laser is configured to emit have a pulse duration of greater than 100 ps, the optical arrangement comprising: a first focusing optical element with spherical aberration configured to generate the laser beam focal line, wherein the first focusing optical element is an axicon and a second focusing optical element spaced a distance of about 300 mm apart from the first focusing optical element, wherein the second focusing optical element is a plano-convex lens, wherein the second focusing element is spaced a distance of about 20 mm from the glass substrate; a second laser configured to emit laser beams toward the planar surface of the glass substrate that faces the emitted laser beams, the laser beams of the second laser having a higher intensity than the laser beams of the first laser and a focused beam diameter; a first beam-guiding optical unit with which the laser beams produced with the first laser can be guided over the substrate, wherein the first beam-guiding optical unit comprise a first F-theta lens; a second beam-guiding optical unit with which the laser beams produced with the second laser can be guided over the substrate, wherein the second beam-guiding optical unit comprises a second F-theta lens having a focal distance that is greater than the focal distance of the first F-theta lens; and a controller in communication with the first laser and the second laser, the controller configured to cause the first laser to emit laser beams toward the glass substrate, to produce successive zones of internal damage in the glass substrate to define a contour line inscribed into the glass substrate such that, after the definition of the contour line, an inner contour portion of the glass substrate disposed at one side of the contour line remains connected to an external contour portion of the glass substrate disposed at another side of the contour line; to produce successive zones of internal damage in the glass substrate to define a plurality of crack line portions, each of which begin at a place on the contour line and lead away from the contour line at an angle into the inner contour portion of the glass substrate; and to cause the second laser to emit laser beams toward the glass substrate, along the contour line but at a spacing therefrom and at the internal contour portion of the glass substrate to heat portions of the internal contour portion to cause a plastic deformation thereof that forms a gap between the internal contour portion and the external contour portion, resulting in separation of at least a portion of the internal contour portion from the remainder of the glass substrate; or to form a removal line inscribed into the glass substrate at the internal contour portion that intersects, viewed from the internal contour portion, inwardly situated ends of the crack line portions, resulting in separation of at least a portion of the internal contour portion from the remainder of the glass substrate.

8. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7, the first laser positioned relative to the planar surface of the glass substrate such that the successive zones of internal damage that define the contour line extend into the glass substrate at an angle relative to the planar surface that is not perpendicular to the planar surface.

9. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7, the first laser is a pulsed laser and emits laser beams with repetition frequency between 10 kHz and 1,000 kHz; the focal line having an average spot diameter of between 1 μm and 3 μm; and each of the successive zones of internal damage has a center, and there is an average spacing distance between the center of successive zones of internal damage, with the ratio of the average spacing distance to the average spot diameter being between 1.0 and 2.0.

10. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7, the optical arrangement includes a circular diaphragm that is completely non-transparent to the wavelength of the laser beams and a focusing optical element; the circular diaphragm sized and positioned to absorb a center portion of the laser beams but not a circumferential edge portion of the laser beams; and the circumferential edge portion of the laser beams impinging on an edge region of the focusing optical element, which focuses the laser beams into the focal line.

11. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7, the optical arrangement includes an axicon and a focusing lens spaced a distance from the axicon; the axicon having a cone angle which is positioned perpendicular to, and centered on the laser beam; and the axicon manipulating the laser beam to impinge annularly on externally situated regions of the focusing lens, which focuses the laser beam into the focal line.

12. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7, the controller further configured to cause the laser to emit laser beams to produce successive zones of internal damage in the glass substrate to define a stress-relieving line portion inscribed into the glass substrate within the internal contour portion at a spacing of 20 μm to 50 μm from the contour line.

13. The glass substrate cutting device of claim 7 further comprising: an ultrasonic actuator in communication with the controller, and configured to contact the internal contour portion of the glass substrate; and the controller further configured to cause the ultrasonic actuator to vibrate at a frequency between 5 kHz and 40 kHz, after the controller has finished causing the first laser and the second laser to emit their respective laser beams onto the glass substrate, resulting in separation of at least a portion of the internal contour portion from the remainder of the glass substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Subsequently, the present invention is described with reference to embodiments. The material removal- and/or material deformation step which is implemented here as material removal step is designated here in brief with (c). There are shown:

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B: The principle of positioning according to the invention of a focal line, i.e. the machining of the substrate material which is transparent for the laser wavelength based on induced absorption along the focal line in steps (a), (b) and (d).

(3) FIG. 2: An optical arrangement which can be used according to the invention for steps (a), (b) and (d).

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B: A further optical arrangement which can be used according to the invention for steps (a), (b) and (d).

(5) FIG. 4: A microscope image of the substrate surface (plan view on the substrate plane) of a glass disc machined according to step (a).

(6) FIGS. 5A to 5D: Steps (a) to (d) which lead to removal of a circular internal contour from a substrate according to the invention.

(7) FIG. 6: An example of step (d) according to the invention in which a stress-relieving spiral is produced as stress-relieving line portion.

(8) FIG. 7: An example of separation according to the invention of an external contour from a substrate.

(9) FIGS. 8A to 8C: Examples of different cut guidances for removing a circular internal contour.

(10) FIGS. 9A and 9B: An example for implementing a material removal step.

(11) FIG. 10: A sketch of a device according to the invention for producing and separating contours.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) FIGS. 1A and 1B outline the basic procedure of steps (a), (b) and (d). A laser beam 3 which is emitted by the laser 12 (FIG. 10), not shown here, and which is designated on the beam input side of the optical arrangement 20 with the reference number 3a, is beamed onto the optical arrangement 20 of the invention. The optical arrangement 20 forms, from the radiated laser beam, on the beam output side over a defined extension region along the beam direction (length l of the focal line), an extended laser beam focal line 3b. Covering the laser beam focal line 3b of the laser radiation 3 at least in portions, the planar substrate 2 to be machined is positioned in the beam path after the optical arrangement. The reference number 4v designates the surface of the planar substrate orientated towards the optical arrangement 20 or the laser, the reference number 4r designates the rear-side surface of the substrate 2 which is normally parallel hereto and at a spacing therefrom. The substrate thickness (perpendicular to the surfaces 4v and 4r, i.e. measured relative to the substrate plane) is designated here with the reference number 10.

(13) As FIG. 1A shows, the substrate 2 here is orientated perpendicular to the beam longitudinal axis and hence to the focal line 3b which is produced in space by the optical arrangement 20 behind the same (the substrate is perpendicular to the drawing plane) and, viewed along the beam direction, is positioned relative to the focal line 3b such that the focal line 3b, viewed in the beam direction, begins in front of the surface 4v of the substrate and ends in front of the surface 4r of the substrate, i.e. still inside the substrate. The extended laser beam focal line 3b hence produces (with suitable laser intensity along the laser beam focal line 3b which is ensured by the focusing of the laser beam 3 on a portion of the length l, i.e. through a line focus of length l) in the overlapping region of the laser beam focal line 3b with the substrate 2, i.e. in the material of the substrate which is covered by the focal line 3b, an extended portion 3c, viewed along the beam longitudinal direction, along which an induced absorption in the material of the substrate is produced, which induces a crack formation in the material of the substrate along the portion 3c. The crack formation is thereby effected not only locally but over the entire length of the extended portion 3c of the induced absorption (i.e. the zone of internal damage). The length of this portion 3c (i.e. ultimately the length of the overlapping of the laser beam focal line 3b with the substrate 2) is provided here with the reference number L. The average diameter or the average extension of the portion of the induced absorption (or of the regions in the material of the substrate 2 which are subjected to the crack formation) is designated here with the reference number D. This average extension D corresponds essentially here to the average diameter δ of the laser beam focal line 3b.

(14) As FIG. 1A shows, substrate material which is transparent for the wavelength λ of the laser beam 3 is hence heated according to the invention by induced absorption along the focal line 3b. FIG. 1B shows that the heated material ultimately expands so that a correspondingly induced stress leads to the microcrack formation according to the invention, the stress being greatest on the surface 4v.

(15) Subsequently, concrete optical arrangements 20 which can be used for producing the focal line 3b and also a concrete optical construction (FIG. 10) in which these optical arrangements can be used are described. All arrangements or constructions are thereby based on the above-described ones so that respectively identical reference numbers are used for components or features which are identical or correspond in their function. Subsequently, respectively only the differences are therefore described.

(16) Since the separation surface leading ultimately to the separation is or should be of high quality according to the invention (with respect to breaking strength, geometric precision, roughness and avoidance of aftertreatment requirements), the individual focal lines 5-1, 5-2, . . . which are to be positioned along for example the contour line 5 on the surface of the substrate are produced as described with the subsequent optical arrangements (the optical arrangement is subsequently also termed alternatively laser lens system). The roughness is thereby produced in particular from the spot size or from the spot diameter of the focal line. In order to be able to achieve, with a given wavelength λ of the laser 12 (interaction with the material of the substrate 2), a low spot size of for example 0.5 μm to 2 μm, generally specific requirements are placed on the numerical aperture of the laser lens system 20. These requirements are fulfilled by the subsequently described laser lens systems 20.

(17) In order to achieve the desired numerical aperture, the lens system must have, on the one hand, the required opening at a given focal distance, according to the known formulae of Abbé (N.A.=n sin (theta), n: refractive index of the glass to be machined, theta: half the opening angle; and theta=arctan (D/2f); D: opening, f: focal distance). On the other hand, the laser beam must illuminate the lens system up to the required opening, which is effected typically by beam expansion by means of expanding telescopes between laser and focusing lens system.

(18) The spot size should thereby not vary too greatly for a uniform interaction along the focal line. This can be ensured for example (see embodiment below) by the focusing lens system being illuminated only in a narrow, annular region by the beam then opening and hence the numerical aperture of course changing only slightly as a percentage.

(19) According to FIG. 2 (cut perpendicular to the substrate plane at the level of the central beam in the laser beam bundle of the laser radiation 12; here also, radiation of the laser beam 3 is effected perpendicular to the substrate plane so that the focal line 3b or the extended portion of the induced absorption 3c is parallel to the substrate normal), the laser radiation 3a emitted by the laser 3 is directed firstly onto a circular diaphragm 20a which is completely non-transparent for the laser radiation used. The diaphragm 20a is thereby orientated perpendicular to the beam longitudinal axis and centred on the central beam of the illustrated beam bundle 3a. The diameter of the diaphragm 20a is chosen such that the beam bundles (designated here with 3aZ) which are situated close to the centre of the beam bundle 3a or of the central beam impinge on the diaphragm and are absorbed completely by the latter. Merely beams situated in the external circumferential region of the beam bundle 3a (edge beams, designated here with 3aR) are not absorbed on the basis of the diaphragm size which is reduced in comparison with the beam diameter but rather pass through the diaphragm 20a at the side and impinge on the edge regions of the focusing optical element of the optical arrangement 20 which is configured here as a spherically ground, bi-convex lens 20b.

(20) The lens 20b centred on the central beam is configured here deliberately as uncorrected, bi-convex focusing lens in the form of a normally spherically ground lens. In other words, the spherical aberration of such a lens is deliberately made use of. As an alternative thereto, aspherical lenses or multilenses which deviate from ideally corrected systems and have in fact no ideal focal point but rather form a pronounced longitudinally extended focal line of a defined length can be used (i.e. lenses or systems which have in fact no longer any individual focal point). The zones of the lens hence focus precisely as a function of the spacing from the centre of the lens along a focal line 3b. The diameter of the diaphragm 20a transversely relative to the beam direction is here approx. 90% of the diameter of the beam bundle (beam bundle diameter defined by the extension up to reduction to 1/e) and approx. 75% of the diameter of the lens of the optical arrangement 20. According to the invention, hence the focal line 3b of a non-aberration-corrected spherical lens 20 is used and was produced by stopping down the beam bundles in the centre. The section is represented in a plane through the central beam, the complete three-dimensional bundle is produced if the represented beams are rotated about the focal line 3b.

(21) An improved optical arrangement 20 which can be used according to the invention is produced if this comprises both an axicon and a focusing lens.

(22) FIG. 3A shows such an optical arrangement 20 in which, viewed in the beam path of the laser 12 along the beam direction, firstly a first optical element with a non-spherical free surface which is shaped to form an extended laser beam focal line 3b is positioned. In the illustrated case, this first optical element is an axicon 20c with 5° cone angle which is positioned perpendicular to the beam direction and centred on the laser beam 3. An axicon or cone prism is a special, conically ground lens which forms a point source on a line along the optical axis (or even annularly transforms a laser beam). The construction of such an axicon is basically known to the person skilled in the art; the cone angle here is for example 10°. The cone tip of the axicon thereby points in the opposite direction to the beam direction. In the beam direction at the spacing 21 from the axicon 20c, a second, focusing optical element, here a plano-convex lens 20b (the curvature of which points towards the axicon) is positioned. The spacing 21 at approx. 300 mm is chosen here such that the laser radiation formed by the axicon 20c impinges annularly on the externally situated regions of the lens 20d. The lens 20d focuses the annularly impinging radiation, on the beam output-side, at a spacing 22 of here approx. 20 mm from the lens 20d onto a focal line 3b of a defined length of here 1.5 mm. The effective focal distance of the lens 20d is here 25 mm. The annular transformation of the laser beam due to the axicon 20c is provided here with the reference number SR.

(23) FIG. 3B shows the configuration of the focal line 3b or of the induced absorption 3c in the material of the substrate 2 according to FIG. 3A in detail. The optical properties of the two elements 20c, 20d and also the positioning of the same is effected here such that the extension 1 of the focal line 3b in the beam direction corresponds exactly to the thickness 10 of the substrate 2. Correspondingly, exact positioning of the substrate 2 along the beam direction is necessary in order, as shown in FIG. 3B, to position the focal line 3b exactly between the two surfaces 4v and 4r of the substrate 2.

(24) According to the invention, it is hence advantageous if the focal line is formed at a specific spacing of the laser lens system and if the large part of the laser radiation is focused up to a desired end of the focal line. This can be achieved, as described, by a mainly focusing element 20d (lens) being illuminated only annularly on a desired zone, as a result of which the desired numerical aperture, on the one hand, and hence the desired spot size is produced, however, on the other hand, loses intensity after the desired focal line 3b of the dispersing circle over a very short distance in the centre of the spot since an essentially annular spot is formed. Hence the crack formation, in the sense of the invention, is stopped inside a short distance at the desired depth of the substrate. A combination of axicon 20c and focusing lens 20d fulfils this requirement. The axicon 20c hereby acts in two ways: by means of the axicon 20c, a usually round laser spot is transmitted annularly towards the focusing lens 20d and the asphericality of the axicon 20c has the effect that, instead of a focal point in the focal plane of the lens, a focal line outside the focal plane is formed. The length l of the focal line 3b can be adjusted via the beam diameter on the axicon 20c. The numerical aperture along the focal line can be adjusted in turn via the spacing 21 between the axicon 20c and the lens 20d and via the cone angle of the axicon 20c. In this way, the entire laser energy can hence be concentrated in the focal line 3b.

(25) Should the crack formation (in the zone of internal damage) stop, in the sense of the invention, apart from the exit side of the substrate, then the annular illumination still continues to have the advantage that, on the one hand, the laser power is used as well as possible since a large part of the laser light remains concentrated at the desired length of the focal line and, on the other hand, by means of the annular illuminated zone together with the desired aberration adjusted by the other optical functions, a uniform spot size along the focal line can be achieved and hence a uniform separation process according to the invention along the focal line.

(26) Instead of the plano-convex lens 20b illustrated in FIG. 3A, also a focusing meniscus lens or another more highly corrected focusing lens (aspherical, multilenses) can be used.

(27) Borosilicate- or soda lime glasses 2 without other colouration (in particular with a low iron content) are optically transparent from approx. 350 nm to approx. 2.5 μm. Glasses are generally poor heat conductors, for which reason laser pulse durations of a few nanoseconds do not in fact allow any substantial heat diffusion out of a focal line 3b. Nevertheless, even shorter laser pulse durations are advantageous since, with sub-nanosecond- or picosecond pulses, a desired induced absorption can be achieved more easily via non-linear effects (intensity substantially higher).

(28) For separation of planar glasses according to the invention, for example a commercially available picosecond laser 12 which has the following parameters is suitable: wavelength 1,064 nm, pulse duration of 10 μs, pulse repetition frequency of 100 kHz, average power (measured directly after the laser) of up to 50 W. The laser beam firstly has a beam diameter (measured at 13% of the peak intensity, i.e. 1/e.sup.2 diameter of a Gaussian beam bundle) of approx. 2 mm, the beam quality is at least M.sup.2<1.2 (determined according to DIN/ISO 11146). With a beam expanding lens system (commercially available beam telescope according to Kepler), the beam diameter can be increased by the factor 10 to approx. 20-22 mm. With a so-called annular diaphragm 20a of 9 mm diameter, the inner part of the beam bundle is stopped down so that an annular beam is formed. With this annular beam, e.g. a plano-convex lens 20b with 28 mm focal distance (quartz glass with radius 13 mm) is illuminated. By means of the strong (desired) spherical aberration of the lens 20b, the focal line according to the invention is produced.

(29) The theoretical diameter δ of the focal line varies along the beam axis, for this reason it is advantageous for the production of a homogeneous crack surface if the substrate thickness 10 is less here than approx. 1 mm (typical thicknesses for display glasses are 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm). With a spot size of approx. 2 μm and a spacing of spot to spot of 5 μm, a speed of 0.5 m/sec is produced, with which the focal line can be guided over the substrate 2 along the contour line 5 (cf FIG. 4). With 25 W average power on the substrate (measured following the focusing line 7), there results from the pulse train frequency of 100 kHz, a pulse energy of 250 μJ which can also be effected in a structured pulse (rapid train of individual pulses at a spacing of only 20 ns, so-called burst pulse) of 2 to 5 sub-pulses.

(30) Untoughened glasses essentially have no internal stresses, for which reason the disruption zone which is still interlocked and connected by unseparated bridges still at first holds the parts together without external effect. If however a thermal stress is introduced, the contour 1 is finally completely separated and without further external introduction of force from the substrate 2. For this purpose, a CO.sub.2 laser with up to 250 W average power is focused on a spot size of approx. 1 mm and this spot is guided at up to 0.5 m/s over the contour line 5, the crack lines 6 and possibly also the stress-relieving line 11 (cf. FIGS. 5A to 5D). The local thermal stress due to the introduced laser energy (5 J per cm of the lines) separates the contour 1 completely.

(31) For separation in thicker glasses, the threshold intensity for the process (induced absorption and formation of a disruption zone by thermal shock) must of course be achieved via a longer focal line 3b. Hence higher required pulse energies follow and higher average powers. With the above-described lens system construction and the maximum available laser power (after losses due to the lens system) of 39 W on the substrate 2, the separation of approx. 3 mm thick glass is achieved. On the one hand, the annular diaphragm 20a is thereby removed and, on the other hand, the spacing of lens 20b to substrate 2 is corrected (nominal focal spacing increases in direction) such that a longer focal line 3b is produced in the substrate 2.

(32) Subsequently, a further embodiment for separating toughened glass is presented.

(33) Sodium-containing glasses are toughened by sodium being exchanged for potassium on the glass surface by immersion in liquid potassium salt baths. This leads to a considerable internal stress (compression stress) in a 5-50 μm thick layer on the surfaces, which in turn leads to higher stability.

(34) Basically, the process parameters during separation of toughened glasses are similar to those with untoughened glasses of a comparable dimension and composition. However, the toughened glass can shatter very much more easily as a result of the internal stress and in fact as a result of undesired crack growth which is effected not along the lasered intended fracture surface 5 but into the material. For this reason, the parameter field for successful separation of a specific toughened glass is specified more tightly. In particular the average laser power and the associated cutting speed must be maintained very exactly and in fact as a function of the thickness of the toughened layer. For a glass with 40 μm thick toughened layer and 0.7 mm total thickness, there results with the above-mentioned construction for example the following parameters: cutting speed of 1 m/s at 100 kHz pulse train frequency, therefore a spot spacing of 10 μm, with an average power of 14 W. In addition, the step sequence (a) to (c) (preferably with (d)) for such glasses is particularly crucial in order to prevent undesired cracks and destruction in the remaining substrate 2.

(35) Very thin toughened glasses (<100 μm) consist predominantly of tempered material, i.e. front- and rear-side are for example respectively 30 μm sodium-depleted and hence toughened and only 40 μm in the interior are untoughened. This material shatters very easily and completely if one of the surfaces is damaged. Such toughened glass films have to date not been machinable in the state of the art but are with the presented method.

(36) Separation of this material according to the method of the invention is successful if a) the diameter of the focal line is very small, e.g. less than 1 μm, b) the spacing from spot to spot is low, e.g. between 1 and 2 μm, and c) the separation speed is high enough so that the crack growth cannot run ahead of the laser process (high laser pulse repetition frequency, e.g. 200 kHz at 0.2 to 0.5 m/s).

(37) FIG. 4 shows a microscopic image of the surface of a glass disc machined according to the invention according to step (a). The individual focal lines or extended portions of induced absorption 3c along the contour line 5 which are provided here with the reference numbers 5-1, 5-2, . . . (into the depth of the substrate perpendicular to the illustrated surface) are connected along the line 5, along which the laser beam was guided over the surface 4v of the substrate, to form a separation surface by crack formation for separation of the substrate parts which is effected via the further steps according to the invention. Readily seen is the large number of individual extended portions of induced absorption 5-1, 5-2, . . . , the pulse repetition frequency of the laser, in the illustrated case, having been coordinated to the feed speed for moving the laser beam over the surface 4v such that the ratio α/δ of the average spacing a of immediately adjacent portions 5-1, 5-2, . . . and of the average diameter δ of the laser beam focal line is approx. 2.0.

(38) FIGS. 5A-5D show, by way of example, the machining according to the invention of a 0.7 mm thick glass substrate 2 in plan view on the substrate plane.

(39) As FIG. 5A shows, in the contour definition step (a), the laser beam 3 of a Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength lambda of 1,064 μm (the laser 12 is not shown here) is radiated vertically onto the substrate plane and guided along the contour line 5 which characterises the contour 1 to be produced. The contour 1 to be produced is here a circular internal contour which is intended to be removed from the substrate 2. The aim of the machining is hence the production of an exactly circular hole in the substrate 2. The circular internal contour 1 or the substrate material of the same can be destroyed during method steps (a) to (d) since the remaining substrate portions 2 represent the desired production product.

(40) As FIG. 5A shows, due to the pulse operation of the laser 12 by means of the laser beam 3 along the contour line 5, a large number of individual zones 5-1, 5-2, . . . of internal damage is produced in the substrate material (portions of induced absorption along a portion which is extended, viewed in the beam direction, of the laser beam focal line produced by means of the laser 12). The individual zones 5-1, 5-2, . . . of internal damage are thereby produced as described for FIG. 4 (this applies also to the steps (d) and (b) which are also described subsequently).

(41) After such zones of internal damage 5-1, 5-2, . . . have been produced over the entire circle circumference 5, a fracture line corresponding to the internal contour 1 to be separated has in fact been produced in the substrate, however the material of the internal contour 1, as described already, is not yet completely separated from the material of the remaining substrate portion 2. The further steps (b) to (d) now serve to separate completely the material of the internal contour 1 from the substrate 2 such that any damage (such as cracks, flaking and the like) in the remaining substrate material are avoided.

(42) In order to achieve this, there is introduced firstly, in a stress-relieving step (d) subsequent to step (a), cf. FIG. 5B (in which the features already described in FIG. 5A are provided with identical reference numbers; this then also applies to the subsequent FIGS. 5C and 5D), a stress-relieving line portion 11 which approximates to the course of the contour line 5 (here by a constant spacing from the latter), is introduced concentrically within the contour line 5 and at a spacing from the latter, i.e. in the material of the internal contour 1. Introduction of the stress-relieving line portion 11 which is likewise circular here is thereby effected by means of the laser 12 with the same laser parameters as for the contour line 5 so that, along the complete circular circumference of the portion 11, respectively a large number of individual zones 11-1, 11-2, . . . of internal damage is produced in the substrate material. The introduction of these zones 11-1, 11-2, . . . is also effected as described for FIG. 4.

(43) This step (d) serves to produce a stress reduction, i.e. latent stresses in the substrate material introduced during introduction of the contour line could otherwise lead to tearing of the entire substrate in the case of small contour radii and highly tempered glasses. This can be prevented by the additional cut of step (d) which is not however an absolute necessity. This step can have a spiral as shape but can also be configured as “circle-within-circle” which approximates to the contour line. The aim of this cut is to minimise the spacing of the stress-relieving line portion 11 relative to the target contour in order to leave behind as little material as possible and therefore to enable or to promote self-detachment. For example, values for the maximum approximation of the stress-relieving line portion 11 to the contour line 5 are here approx. 20 μm to 50 μm.

(44) FIG. 5c shows the crack definition step (b) implemented according to the invention after the stress-relieving step (d). In this step, the laser beam 3 of the laser 12 is guided, just as in steps (a) and (d), over the substrate surface or the internal contour surface so that, here also, a large number of individual zones 6-1, 6-2, . . . of internal damage is introduced, as shown in FIG. 4, along the structures 6 inscribed into the internal contour 1.

(45) As FIG. 5 shows, there are produced, in addition, a plurality of linear crack line portions 6a, 6b, . . . which begin at a place on the contour line 5, lead away from the contour line 5 respectively at an angle α of here 25° and lead into the contour 1 to be separated. Respectively exactly two crack line portions (for example the crack line portions 6a and 6b) thereby begin at one and the same place on the contour line 5 and extend in oppositely situated directions respectively at the angle α into the inner contour 1 until they cut the previously introduced stress-relieving line portion 11. The angle α is here the angle between the tangent to the contour line 5 at that place at which the two crack line portions, which lead from this place, in essentially opposite directions, into the material of the internal contour 1 (for example the portions 6a and 6b or also the portions 6c and 6d), begin, and the tangent to the respective crack line portion at this place (or the crack line portion itself since this coincides with the tangent thereof).

(46) In the above-described way, there is produced, along the entire circumference of the contour line 5, a plurality of V-shaped crack lines 6V which consist respectively of precisely two crack line portions which begin at one and the same place on the contour line 5, lead away from the contour line 5 over the surface portions of the internal contour 1 which are situated between said contour line and the stress-relieving line portion 11, cut the stress-relieving line portion 11 and lead into the region of the internal contour 1 situated within the stress-relieving line portion 11. Both legs of one and the same V-shaped crack line 6V thereby lead along the tangent to the contour line 5 at the place of the tip of the respective crack line, viewed symmetrically to the normal, towards this tangent, i.e. on both sides of the normal, into the internal contour 1. Smaller angles α of for example α=10° or even larger angles of for example α=35° are possible according to the circular circumference of the lines 5 and 11 and also the spacing of these two circular lines from each other.

(47) The crack line portions 6a, 6b, . . . need not thereby definitely, even if this is preferred, begin immediately at one place on the contour line 5 but rather can begin also slightly at a spacing from the contour line 5 at a place situated within the internal contour material 1 and can be guided beyond the stress-relieving line portion 11 into the material portion situated within the same (the angle α between the imaginary continued cut line of the respective crack line portion with the contour line 5, on the one hand, and the tangent to the contour line 5, on the other hand, is then calculated).

(48) In the above-described way, preferably five to ten V-shaped crack lines along the circumference of the circular lines 5, 11 are produced.

(49) The crack lines 6V or the crack line portions 6a, 6b, . . . of the same are thereby placed and orientated preferably such that the detachment behaviour is improved during and/or after the material-removing laser step (c). The material ring remaining after the material-removing laser step (c) is specifically segmented such that individual segments of the circular ring can be detached more easily. It is attempted to build up an internally directed stress into the V cuts so that the partial segments after the material-removing laser step (c) are pressed inwards as far as possible by themselves. These V cuts are however not an absolute necessity since the method according to the invention can also function without these.

(50) It is hence essential that some of the ring material portions which are inscribed with the V-shaped crack lines into the material of the circular ring portion between the two structures 5 and 11 (here: the approximately triangular portions between the two legs of one and the same V-shaped crack line) could move towards the centre of the internal contour 1 (if they were already completely detached by means of the zones 6-1, 6-2, . . . ) without interlocking with adjacent ring material portions.

(51) FIG. 5D finally shows the material removal step (c) after the crack definition step (b). (In FIG. 5D, merely three of the V-shaped crack lines introduced in step (b) are illustrated for reasons of clarity).

(52) In step (c), a material-removing laser beam 7 produced by a laser 14, not shown here, is directed towards the substrate surface. In comparison with introduction of the large number of zones of internal damage in steps (a), (b), (d), as described for FIG. 4, the parameters of the material-removing laser beam 7 differ from the laser beam 3 as follows: a point focus or point damage with accompanying material removal is applied. Wavelength: between 300 nm and 11,000 nm; particularly suitable 532 nm or 10,600 nm. Pulse durations: 10 ps, 20 ns or even 3,000 μs.

(53) As FIG. 5D shows, with the laser beam 7 within the stress-relieving line portion 11, a removal line 9 which extends here likewise annularly and along the entire circumference of the contour circle 5 or of the stress-relieving line circle 11 (shown here merely in sections) is inscribed into the material of the internal contour 1. In the radial direction (viewed towards the centre of the internal contour 1), the spacing of the removal line 9 from the stress-relieving line 11 is here approx. 25% of the spacing of the stress-relieving line 11 from the outwardly situated contour line 5. The spacing 8 of the removal line 9 from the contour line 5 is hence 1.25 times the spacing of the stress-relieving line 11 from the contour line 5. The removal line 9 is thereby introduced such that it still cuts (viewed from the centre of the internal contour 1) the inwardly situated ends of the crack line portions 6a, 6b, . . . .

(54) After introducing the removal line along the entire circumference of the contour line 5 or of the stress-relieving line 11, the material portions situated inside the removal line 9 in the centre of the internal contour 1 are detached from the substrate 2 since, along the removal line 9, the substrate material is removed over the entire substrate thickness 10 (cf. FIG. 9). Hence there remain of the internal contour material 1 to be separated merely the ring portions situated between the removal line 9 and the contour line 5.

(55) Between the edge at the removal line 9, on the one hand, and the contour line 5, on the other hand, approximately triangular ring portions are produced between the two legs of each V-shaped crack line (see reference number 1′) which are in fact interlocked still with the material of adjacent ring portions (and are characterised here as contour remains still to be separated and have the reference number 1r) but are able to be removed inwards without introducing stresses which possibly damage the material of the remaining substrate 2.

(56) In the aftertreatment step which is not shown here (implemented after steps (a) to (d)), the remaining undesired contour remains 1r (which also comprise the stress-relieving portions 1′) are separated from the remaining substrate 2 by means of a mechanical stamp which is moveable perpendicular to the substrate plane.

(57) FIG. 6 shows an alternative form of introducing a stress-relieving line portion 11 into the substrate material of the internal contour 1 of FIG. 5A to be separated. Instead of a single circumferential, circular stress-relieving line portion 11, also a stress-relieving spiral 11S which approximates to the course of the contour line 5, is guided from the centre of the internal contour 1, viewed radially outwards, wound within itself and turning approx. 3.5 times here can be inscribed into the material of the internal contour 2 to be separated.

(58) As FIG. 7 shows, the present invention can be used not only for separating closed internal contours 1 from a substrate 2 but also for separating complexly-shaped external contours 1, the shape of which (cf. for example the dovetail-shaped portion of the contour line 5 in FIG. 7) is such that the external contour 1 of the substrate 2 cannot be produced with methods known from the state of the art without introducing stress cracks into the remaining substrate material 2. The angle α of the two oppositely situated legs of the V-shaped crack lines 6V-1, 6V-2, . . . which are situated between the contour line 5, on the one hand, and the removal line 9, on the other hand, is here 10°. In FIG. 7, identical or corresponding features designate otherwise identical reference numbers as in FIGS. 5A-5B. The substrate thickness perpendicular to the substrate plane is characterised with the reference number 10. The substrate surface orientated towards the incident laser radiation 3, 7 with the reference number 4v (substrate front-side), the oppositely situated substrate surface (substrate rear-side) with the reference number 4r.

(59) As FIG. 7 shows, introduction of a stress-relieving line portion 11 which approximates to the course of the contour line 5 is hence not absolutely necessary.

(60) The invention can hence be used in particular also for separating contours with undercuts.

(61) FIGS. 8A-8C show several different possibilities of how crack line portions 6a, 6b, . . . , which differ along the course of the contour line 5, begin respectively essentially at the contour line 5 and lead into the material of the contour 1 to be separated, can be produced: FIG. 8A shows V-shaped standard crack lines (see also FIG. 5C). FIG. 8B shows V-shaped multiple crack lines along the contour line course 5 in which respectively adjacent V-shaped crack lines intersect at the legs orientated towards each other. FIG. 8C shows open crack lines due to introduction respectively of only one leg of a V-shaped crack line.

(62) FIG. 9 shows how, with an additional precipitation material 18 (here: polyoxymethylene), the inwardly situated material portion of an internal contour 1 to be separated, which is completely separated from the substrate 2 or from the contour remains 1r after introducing the removal line 9 (possibly also with parts of the contour remains 1r still adhering undesirably to the substrate 2), can be expelled. Identical reference numbers again designate in FIG. 9 (and also in FIG. 10) the features of the invention described already under these reference numbers.

(63) As FIGS. 9A-9B show, the beam power, which is high compared with the laser beam 3, of the material-removing laser beam 7 is coupled via a (second, cf. FIG. 10) beam-guiding optical unit 21 onto the substrate 2. The substrate 2 is mounted in a clamping device 16 (e.g. so-called chuck) such that, in a region below the internal contour 1 to be separated, a gas-sealed cavity 17 is configured on the substrate rear-side 4r.

(64) (“Above” is here the substrate front-side 4v which is orientated towards the incident laser beam). Into this cavity 17, the precipitation material 18 was introduced in advance and now is vaporised at the beginning of the illustrated material removal step (c) by focusing the laser beam 7 by means of the optical unit 21 through the substrate 2 into the cavity 17 (FIG. 9A). As a result of the laser beam-caused vaporisation, the vaporised precipitation material precipitates on the portion of the substrate rear-side 4r which is situated in the cavity 17 and forms (FIG. 9B) on at least one surface of the substrate rear-side 4r which corresponds to the internal contour 1 to be separated, a coupling layer 18′ which improves coupling of the laser beam 7 into the substrate material. Vaporisation of the material 18 for precipitation on the rear-side surface 4r is implemented. Since the material of the substrate 2 is transparent for the laser radiation λ, the material of the layer 18′ is however opaque for λ, coupling of the beam 7 into the substrate material is thus improved.

(65) Subsequently, the laser radiation 7 is focused 15 by the optical unit 21 and through the substrate onto the rear-side surface 4r (cf. FIG. 9B). Corresponding to the geometry characterising the removal line 9, the focal point 15 of the laser radiation 7 is guided by multiple passage of the beam 7 along the line 9 successively from the substrate rear-side 4r towards the substrate front-side 4v in order to remove in succession the substrate material along the removal line 9, viewed over the entire substrate thickness 10, or to vaporise it as a result of the high laser energy which is introduced. After the large number (e.g. 15 times) of passages guided along the contour of the removal line 9 with the focal point 15 moving increasingly from the rear-side 4r to the front-side 4v, finally the material of the internal contour 1 which is situated inside the removal line 9 (which is illustrated here for simplified representation merely once and in the centre above the cavity 17) is detached and expelled upwards by the vapour pressure prevailing in the cavity 17. With sufficiently high vapour pressure in the cavity 17, also the separation of the undesired contour remains 1r can be assisted by this (cf. FIG. 5D).

(66) FIG. 10 illustrates a device according to the invention for implementing the method according to the invention, which is provided with a beam producing- and beam-forming arrangement 19 configured in a common laser head. The unit 19 comprises the two lasers 12 (for production of the laser beam 3 which produces the individual zones of internal damage with lower laser intensity) and 14 (for producing the material-removing laser beam 7 of higher intensity) and also two beam-guiding optical units 20 and 21 which have respectively a galvanometer scanner connected subsequent to an F-theta lens for beam deflection (the construction of such optical units is known to the person skilled in the art). The laser radiation 3 of the laser 12, focused via the F-theta lens and the galvanometer scanner of the unit 20, is hence guided towards the surface of the substrate 2 and, for producing the contour line 5, is suitably deflected by means of the galvanometer scanner. Correspondingly, the laser radiation 7 of the laser 14, focused via the F-theta lens and the galvanometer scanner of the unit 21, is imaged on the surface of the substrate 2 and is deflected in order to produce the removal line 9 by the galvanometer scanner of the unit 21.

(67) Alternatively, also stationary lens systems can be used instead of using moving lens systems (then the substrate is moved).

(68) A central control unit which is configured here in the form of a PC 22 with suitable memories, programmes etc. controls the beam production, beam focusing and beam deflection by means of the unit 19 via a bidirectional data- and control line 23.

(69) Differences in the beam-guiding lens systems 20 and 21 for producing the two different laser beams 3 and 7 are as follows: the laser beam 7 is guided towards the surface in comparison to the beam 3, e.g. with a corrected F-theta lens, which leads to the formation of a point focus. The focal distance of the lens for the beam 7 is significantly greater than for the beam 3, e.g. 120 mm in comparison with 40 mm.