阅读说明：本技术 用于加工玻璃层压基材的设备以及使用该设备的加工和切割方法 (Apparatus for processing glass laminated substrate and processing and cutting method using the same ) 是由 金珠锡 李宇镇 朴喆熙 M·W·普莱斯 申东根 唐玉银 于 2020-03-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于加工玻璃层压基材的方法包括：将玻璃层压基材运送到加工位置,所述玻璃层压基材包括在金属基材上的玻璃基材；使激光通过玻璃基材照射到金属基材上；以及冷却激光照射通过的一部分玻璃基材,从而激光照射通过的部分处切割玻璃基材。当使用根据实施方式所述的加工和切割玻璃层压基材的方法和用于加工玻璃层压基材的设备时,可以生产切割后具有高边缘强度的玻璃层压基材。(A method for processing a glass laminate substrate comprising: transporting a glass laminate substrate to a processing location, the glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate; irradiating a laser onto the metal substrate through the glass substrate; and cooling a portion of the glass substrate through which the laser light is irradiated, thereby cutting the glass substrate at the portion through which the laser light is irradiated. When the method of processing and cutting a glass laminate substrate and the apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate according to the embodiments are used, a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength after cutting can be produced.)

1. A method of processing a glass laminate substrate, the method comprising:

transporting a glass laminate substrate to a processing location, the glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate;

irradiating a laser through the glass substrate and onto the metal substrate; and

cooling a portion of the glass substrate through which the laser light is irradiated, thereby cutting the glass substrate at the portion through which the laser light is irradiated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser has a wavelength of about 0.8 μm to about 1.1 μm.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the laser is a fiber laser or a Nd: YGA laser.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the power of the laser is about 3kW to about 7 kW.

5. The method of any of claims 2 to 4, further comprising: the position on which the laser light is irradiated is moved from one position to another position on the glass laminate substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in the moving of the position on which the laser is irradiated, a moving speed of the position on which the laser is irradiated is about 1m/min to about 20 m/min.

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein the cooling comprises: a cooling gas is sprayed onto the glass substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling gas forms a cooling gas shield surrounding the laser.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the injection pressure of the cooling gas is about 2atm to about 15 atm.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein

The laser irradiation includes melting the metal substrate, and

the cooling includes: the molten metal is removed by blowing a cooling gas through the molten metal.

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the laser light has a transmittance of equal to or greater than about 85% relative to the glass substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the glass substrate is not melted by the laser.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the glass substrate is cut by a tensile stress applied to the glass substrate during cooling.

14. A method for cutting a glass laminate substrate, the method comprising:

transporting a glass laminate substrate to a processing location, the glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate;

locally heating the metal substrate at the cutting location;

cooling the glass substrate at the cutting location; and

the melted portion of the metal substrate is removed at the cutting location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the metal substrate is continuously heated while the glass substrate is cooled.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cooling of the glass substrate comprises: a cooling gas is injected to the cutting location to cool the glass substrate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein removing the metal substrate comprises: the molten portion of the metal substrate is removed at the cutting location by using mechanical force applied by the jet of cooling gas.

18. The method of any of claims 14-17, wherein heating the metal substrate at the cutting location and cooling the glass substrate at the cutting location are performed substantially simultaneously.

19. An apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a support configured to support a glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate;

a cutter module disposed on the support and configured to irradiate laser light onto the glass laminate substrate and inject cooling gas onto the glass laminate substrate to cut the glass laminate substrate; and

a positioner configured to adjust the relative positions of the support and the cutter module,

wherein, the cutter module includes:

a laser emitter configured to irradiate laser light through the glass substrate to a location to be cut on the metal substrate; and

a cooling gas nozzle configured to inject cooling gas near a location to be cut.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the laser emitter and the cooling gas nozzle are configured to maintain relative positions with respect to each other while the glass laminate substrate is being cut.

1. Field of the invention

One or more embodiments relate to an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate and a processing and cutting method using the same, and more particularly, to an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength even after cutting and a processing and cutting method using the same.

2. Background of the invention

Glass laminate substrates are highly expected to be widely used in various technical fields in the future, but there is still much room for development in the technology of processing glass laminate substrates.

Disclosure of Invention

One or more embodiments include a method of processing a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength even after cutting.

One or more embodiments include a method of cutting a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength even after cutting.

One or more embodiments include an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength even after cutting.

Additional aspects will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the embodiments of the disclosure.

According to one or more embodiments, a method for processing a glass laminate substrate comprises: transporting a glass laminate substrate to a processing location, the glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate; irradiating a laser through the glass substrate onto the metal substrate; and cooling a portion of the glass substrate through which the laser light is irradiated, thereby cutting the glass substrate at the portion through which the laser light is irradiated.

The laser light may have a wavelength of about 0.8 μm to about 1.1 μm. The laser may be a fiber laser or a Nd: YGA laser. The power of the laser may be about 3kW to about 7 kW.

The method may further comprise: the position on which the laser light is irradiated is moved from one position to another position on the glass laminate substrate. At this time, the moving speed of the position to which the laser is irradiated is about 1m/min to about 20 m/min.

The cooling may include spraying a cooling gas onto the glass substrate. The cooling gas may constitute a cooling gas shield surrounding the laser. The injection pressure of the cooling gas may be about 2atm to about 15 atm. The irradiating of the laser may include melting the metal substrate, and the cooling may include blowing the molten metal with a cooling gas to remove the molten metal.

The transmittance of the laser with respect to the glass substrate may be equal to or greater than about 85%, and the glass substrate may not be melted by the laser. The glass substrate may be cut by a tensile stress applied to the glass substrate during cooling.

According to one or more embodiments, a method of cutting a glass laminate substrate includes: transporting a glass laminate substrate to a processing location, the glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate; locally heating the metal substrate at the cutting location; cooling the glass substrate at the cutting location; and removing the melted portion of the metal base material at the cutting position.

While the glass substrate is being cooled, the metal substrate may be continuously heated, and cooling of the glass substrate may include: a cooling gas is injected to the cutting position to cool the glass substrate. The removing of the metal substrate may include: the molten portion of the metal substrate at the cutting location is inertially removed using the mechanical force applied by the jet of cooling gas.

Heating the metal substrate at the cutting location and cooling the glass substrate at the cutting location may be performed substantially simultaneously.

According to one or more embodiments, an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate may comprise: a support configured to support a glass laminate substrate comprising a glass substrate on a metal substrate; a cutter module disposed on the support and configured to irradiate laser light onto the glass laminate substrate and to inject cooling gas onto the glass laminate substrate to cut the glass laminate substrate; and a positioner configured to adjust the relative positions of the support and the cutter module. At this time, the cutter module may include: a laser emitter configured to irradiate laser light through a glass substrate to a position to be cut on a metal substrate; and a cooling gas nozzle configured to inject cooling gas near a position to be cut.

While cutting the glass laminate substrate, the focal point of the laser and the hole of the cooling gas nozzle are configured to maintain relative positions with respect to each other.

Brief description of the drawings

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic conceptual view of an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of area II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view typically illustrating the principle of cutting a glass laminate substrate using an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate, according to one embodiment;

fig. 4 is a perspective view typically illustrating the principle of cutting a glass laminate substrate using an apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate, in accordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of processing a glass laminate substrate according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an image of a glass laminate substrate viewed from vertically above, the substrate having not been ground after cutting;

fig. 7 is a graph for comparing the edge strength of the cut surfaces of the glass laminate substrate before and after grinding after cutting the glass laminate substrate; and

fig. 8 is a graph showing a change in the edge strength of the glass laminate substrate with respect to the amount of grinding of the cut surface of the glass laminate substrate.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In this regard, embodiments of the present disclosure may have different forms and should not be construed as limited to the description set forth herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are described below to explain aspects of the present specification by referring to the figures only. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. When a statement such as "at least one of … …" follows a series of elements, the statement modifies the series of elements rather than a single element in the series of elements.

Although terms such as "first", "second", etc. may be used to describe various components, these components are not limited to the above terms. The above terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," or "includes" and/or "including," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature(s), integer(s), step(s), operation(s), element(s), component(s), and/or combination(s) thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/or the present application and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

When it is possible to modify the embodiment, the order of the processes may be different from that described. For example, two processes described as occurring sequentially may be performed substantially simultaneously or in reverse order.

In the drawings, the transformation of the shape can be expected according to, for example, manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, the embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes specified in the drawings but should be construed to include shape variations that occur, for example, during manufacturing. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, the term "substrate" used herein may mean a substrate itself, or a stacked structure including a substrate and a certain layer or film formed on a surface of the substrate. The expression "surface of the substrate" may refer to the exposed surface of the substrate itself, or the outer surface of a layer or film formed on the substrate.

Fig. 1 is a schematic conceptual view of an apparatus 1 for processing a glass laminate substrate according to an embodiment.

Referring to fig. 1, the apparatus 1 may include a support 3 supporting the glass laminate substrate S and a cutter module 5, and the cutter module 5 irradiates a laser LB to the glass laminate substrate S to cut the glass laminate substrate S. The support 3 is arranged to be movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the cutter module 5. A horizontal positioner 7, such as a sub-motor, is provided to relatively move the support 3 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and to determine the position of the support 3. In addition, a vertical positioner 9 is provided to move the cutter module 5 in a direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) relatively close to and/or away from the glass laminate substrate S, and to determine the position of the cutter module 5.

The apparatus 1 includes a laser emitter 11, and the laser emitter 11 emits laser light LB having a certain wavelength range, and more specifically, laser light LB having a low absorption into glass or a high transmittance transmitted through glass. The cutter module 5 includes an optical unit 17, the optical unit 17 including a mirror 13 and a focusing lens 15, the mirror 13 reflecting the laser light LB emitted by the laser emitter 11 toward the glass laminate substrate S, and the focusing lens 15 focusing the laser light LB. The cutter module 5 further includes a cooling gas nozzle 12, and the cooling gas nozzle 12 injects cooling gas to a position to be cut on the glass laminated substrate S.

The laser light LB emitted by the laser emitter 11 may have a wavelength that is transmittable through glass. In some embodiments, the laser LB may have a wavelength of about 500nm to about 2500nm, a wavelength of about 600nm to about 2000nm, a wavelength of about 700nm to about 1500nm, or a wavelength of about 800nm to about 1100 nm. For example, the laser LB may be an Nd: YAG laser or a diode fiber laser. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

The cutter module 5 may include a side nozzle that sprays cooling gas toward the processed portion of the glass laminate substrate S as a configuration for spraying the cooling gas to the position to be cut. The apparatus 1 further comprises a cooling gas supply unit 21. The cooling gas supply unit 21 may include a pressure control valve 29, and the pressure control valve 29 controls the pressure of the cooling gas to be supplied to the cutter module 5.

Examples of the cooling gas may include nitrogen, oxygen, helium, argon, neon, and a mixture thereof.

The device 1 comprises a control unit 31. The control unit 31 can control the relative movement and position of the cutter module 5 with respect to the glass laminate substrate S, control the laser output of the laser emitter 11, and control the supply pressure of the cooling gas to the cutter module 5. The control unit 31 may receive various processing conditions through an input unit 35 connected to the control unit 31.

Due to the above configuration, the glass laminate substrate S is placed and positioned on the support 3, and then the cutter module 5 is relatively moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions with respect to the glass laminate substrate S so that the glass laminate substrate S is arranged at a determined position. The laser light LB emitted by the laser emitter 11 is focused by the focusing lens 15 to be irradiated onto the glass laminate substrate S. The cooling gas supplied from the cooling gas supply unit 21 to the cutter module 5 is ejected from the cooling gas nozzle 12 to the processing portion at the glass laminated substrate S, and thus the glass laminated substrate S is laser-cut and processed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a region II in fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 2, the cooling gas nozzle 12 may include a nozzle tip 19. The nozzle tip 19 may include an aperture 14 through which the laser LB may be emitted through the aperture 14. The horizontal diameter of the end of the nozzle head 19 may be reduced toward the glass laminate substrate S. The diameter of the hole 14 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cooling gas nozzle 12 and is large enough not to interfere with the laser LB.

A cooling gas supply passage 16 may be provided at a side of the cooling gas nozzle 12, and the cooling gas supply passage 16 supplies cooling gas from the cooling gas supply unit 21 through a pressure control valve 29. The cooling gas supply passage 16 may communicate with the inner space of the cooling gas nozzle 12. The cooling gas supplied through the cooling gas supply passage 16 may flow in the inner space in the direction indicated by the arrow and may be discharged through the hole 14.

In some embodiments, the relative position between the focal point of the laser LB and the holes 14 of the cooling gas nozzle 12 may be kept constant when cutting the glass laminate substrate S. When the relative position between the focal point of the laser LB and the opening 14 of the cooling gas nozzle 12 is changed while the glass laminate substrate S is cut, the characteristics of the cut surface may also be changed, and thus it may be difficult to obtain a cut surface having regular strength. However, before cutting the glass laminate substrate S, the relative position between the focal point of the laser LB and the opening 14 of the cooling gas nozzle 12 may be changed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view typically illustrating the principle of cutting the glass laminate substrate S using the apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

Referring to fig. 3, the glass laminate substrate S may include a metal substrate M and a glass substrate G stacked on the metal substrate M.

The metal substrate M may include, for example, iron, steel, aluminum, copper, silver, etc., but is not limited thereto. The glass substrate G may have various compositions. For example, the glass substrate G may comprise a strengthened glass sheet. The glass substrate G may comprise a thermally or chemically strengthened glass sheet.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise a glass sheet that is chemically strengthened using ion exchange. In ion exchange, the glass sheet may be immersed in a bath with the molten salt for a time such that ions on or near the surface of the glass sheet are exchanged with larger metal ions in the molten salt and thus chemically strengthened. In some embodiments, the temperature of the bath with the molten salt may be about 430 ℃ and the immersion time may be about eight hours.

Since larger metal ions are contained in the glass sheet and a compressive stress is formed near the surface of the glass sheet, the glass substrate G can be strengthened. At this time, a tensile stress corresponding to the compressive stress may be induced in the central portion of the glass substrate G to be balanced with the compressive stress. Although not intending to limit the present disclosure to a particular theory, the term "ion exchange" as used herein may refer to a process of replacing positive ions on or near the surface of a glass sheet with other positive ions having the same valence state.

For example, the glass substrate G may comprise SiO₂、B₂O₃And Na₂O, and (SiO)₂+B₂O₃) Not less than about 66 mol% and Na₂O is more than or equal to about 9 mol%. In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may include at least about 6 wt.% alumina. In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may further include at least one alkaline earth metal oxide. At this time, the glass substrate G may include at least about 5 wt% of the alkaline earth metal oxide. In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may further include K₂O, MgO and CaO. In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 61 mol% to about 75 mol% SiO₂About 7 mol% to about 15 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 12 mol% of B₂O₃About 9 mol% to about 21 mol% of Na₂O, 0 mol% to about 4 mol% of K₂O, 0 mol% to about 7 mol% MgO and 0 mol% to about 3 mol% CaO.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 60 mol% to about 70 mol% SiO₂About 6 mol% to about 14 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 15 mol% of B₂O₃0 mol% to about 15 mol% Li₂O, 0 mol% to about 20 mol% Na₂O, 0 mol% to about 10 mol% of K₂O, 0 mol% to about 8 mol% MgO, 0 mol% to about 10 mol% CaO, 0 mol% to about 5 mol% ZrO₂0 mol% to about 1 mol% SnO₂0 mol% to about 1 mol% of CeO₂About 50ppm or less of As₂O₃And anAbout 50ppm or less of Sb₂O₃. In some embodiments, about 12 mol% ≦ (Li)₂O+Na₂O+K₂O) is less than or equal to about 12mol percent. In some embodiments, 0 mol% to (MgO + CaO) to about 10 mol%.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 63.5 mol% to about 66.5 mol% SiO₂About 8 mol% to about 12 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 3 mol% of B₂O₃0 mol% to about 5 mol% Li₂O, about 8 mol% to about 18 mol% of Na₂O, 0 mol% to about 5 mol% of K₂O, MgO in an amount of about 1 mol% to about 7 mol%, CaO in an amount of 0 mol% to about 2.5 mol%, ZrO in an amount of 0 mol% to about 2.5 mol%₂About 0.05 mol% to about 0.25 mol% of SnO₂About 0.05 mol% to about 0.5 mol% of CeO₂About 50ppm or less of As₂O₃And about 50ppm or less of Sb₂O₃. In some embodiments, about 14 mol% ≦ (Li)₂O+Na₂O+K₂O) is less than or equal to about 18mol percent. In some embodiments, about 2 mol% to (MgO + CaO) to about 7 mol%.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 58 mol% to about 72 mol% SiO₂About 9 mol% to about 17 mol% of Al₂O₃From about 2 mol% to about 12 mol% of B₂O₃About 8 mol% to about 16 mol% of Na₂O, and 0 mol% to about 4 mol% of K₂O。

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 61 mol% to about 75 mol% SiO₂About 7 mol% to about 15 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 12 mol% of B₂O₃About 9 mol% to about 21 mol% of Na₂O, 0 mol% to about 4 mol% of K₂O, 0 mol% to about 7 mol% MgO, and 0 mol% to about 3 mol% CaO.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 60 mol% to about 70 mol% SiO₂About 6 mol% to about 14 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 15 mol% of B₂O₃0 mol% to about 15 mol%Li of (2)₂O, 0 mol% to about 20 mol% Na₂O, 0 mol% to about 10 mol% of K₂O, 0 mol% to about 8 mol% MgO, 0 mol% to about 10 mol% CaO, 0 mol% to about 5 mol% ZrO₂0 mol% to about 1 mol% SnO₂0 mol% to about 1 mol% of CeO₂About 50ppm or less of As₂O₃And about 50ppm or less of Sb₂O₃；12mol％≤Li₂O+Na₂O+K₂O is less than or equal to 20mol percent; and MgO plus CaO is more than or equal to 0 mol% and less than or equal to 10 mol%.

In some embodiments, the glass substrate G may comprise about 64 mol% to about 68 mol% SiO₂From about 12 mol% to about 16 mol% of Na₂O, about 8 mol% to about 12 mol% of Al₂O₃0 mol% to about 3 mol% of B₂O₃From about 2 mol% to about 5 mol% of K₂O, about 4 mol% to about 6 mol% MgO, and 0 mol% to about 5 mol% CaO; about 66 mol% < SiO ≦ (SiO)₂B₂O₃CaO) is less than or equal to about 69mol percent; (Na)₂O+K₂O+B₂O₃+MgO+CaO+SrO)>About 10 mol%; about 5 mol% to (MgO + CaO + SrO) to about 8 mol%; (Na)₂O+B₂O₃)-Al₂O₃Less than or equal to about 2 mol%; about 2 mol% or less (Na)₂O-Al₂O₃) Less than or equal to about 6 mol%; and about 4 mol% or less (Na)₂O+K₂O)-Al₂O₃Less than or equal to about 10mol percent.

In the above numerical range, when the lower limit of the content of a certain component is 0, the component may be included or excluded.

The metal substrate M may have a thickness of, for example, about 0.1mm to about 10 mm. The glass substrate G may have a thickness of, for example, about 0.1mm to about 5 mm.

The laser LB may be irradiated onto the glass laminate substrate S including the stacked metal substrate M and glass substrate G. As described above, the laser LB may have a wavelength that satisfactorily transmits the glass substrate G, and may be irradiated onto the metal substrate M through the glass substrate G. In some embodiments, the transmittance of the laser LB with respect to the glass substrate G may be equal to or greater than about 85%, about 90%, about 93%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, or about 99%.

When irradiated with laser light (e.g., CO) having a low transmittance with respect to the glass substrate G₂Laser), the light energy of the laser is absorbed by the glass substrate G and then converted into heat energy to melt the glass, and thus, the cut surface may be irregular and the mechanical strength may be low.

As shown in fig. 3, the laser beam LB is irradiated onto the metal base material M from above the glass base material G through the glass base material G. The area where the laser LB intersects each of the top surface of the glass substrate G and the top surface of the metal substrate M is shown as a circle. As shown in fig. 3, since the focal point of the laser LB is located inside or below the glass laminate substrate S, the area of the region where the laser LB intersects with the top surface of the glass substrate G may be larger than the area of the region where the laser LB intersects with the top surface of the metal substrate M.

Although it is illustrated in fig. 3 that the laser LB intersects the bottom surface of the metal base material M after passing through the metal base material M, this is merely for convenience to illustrate an intended path of the laser LB, and may be different from an actual phenomenon.

The laser LB cuts the glass laminate substrate S while traveling in the arrow direction. The laser LB may be mostly absorbed into the metal substrate M after passing through the glass substrate G and then converted into thermal energy. Therefore, the temperature of the metal base material M is increased by the laser LB. The heat energy in the metal substrate M is transferred to the glass substrate G, and therefore, the temperature of the glass substrate G also rises.

Due to the incidence of the laser beam LB, the temperatures of the metal substrate M and the glass substrate G locally increase, and thus a Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) is formed. The region where the HAZ intersects the top surface of the glass substrate G is shown in fig. 3, and the HAZ extends below the circle indicated by "HAZ" in fig. 3.

Heat is transferred from the metal base material M to a region at the front end of the horizontal traveling direction (i.e., the arrow direction in fig. 3) of the laser light LB, and thus the glass base material G starts to be heated. Specifically, the region AM at the leading end in fig. 3 refers to a region of the metal base material M which is newly incorporated into the region irradiated with the laser LB and which starts to rapidly rise in temperature via irradiation of the laser LB. In addition, heat in the region AM is transferred to the glass substrate G, and also causes the temperature of the region BM to rise.

The region BM located behind the region AM in the horizontal traveling direction of the laser beam LB takes a longer time in the region irradiated with the laser beam LB than the region AM, and thus has a higher temperature than the region AM. Therefore, the region BM of the metal base material M undergoes considerable thermal expansion, and therefore, the region BG of the glass base material G becomes considerably large in tensile stress, wherein the region BG corresponds to the region BM. In addition, when the glass base material G is cooled at the region BG and/or the region AG, the tensile stress applied to the glass base material G is further increased. This tensile stress increases in the direction opposite to the horizontal traveling direction of the laser LB (because the temperature of the metal substrate M increases in the opposite direction), and the glass substrate G is finally broken at a certain point (for example, point CR). As described above, the glass substrate G may be cut in the traveling direction of the laser LB.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 3, a portion of the glass substrate G behind the point CR has been broken and divided, and a portion of the metal substrate M further behind the point CR may be continuously heated by the laser LB. As a result of continuously heating the metal base material M, the metal base material M is locally melted, and the melted portion having fluidity in the metal base material M is removed by the cooling gas injected at high pressure. In fig. 3, a portion MS of the metal substrate M has a high temperature but no fluidity. The portion MF1 of the metal base material M has a certain degree of fluidity through melting, and is removed by spraying a cooling gas.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the cooling gas may be injected and form a shield around the laser LB. The cooling gas may be ejected toward the glass laminate substrate S overlapping with the laser LB.

In general, the glass substrate G may be separated by the above-described cracks, and the metal substrate M may be locally melted and separated by removal by spraying a cooling gas. The description above with reference to fig. 3 is not intended to be limited by a particular theory, and the cutting may be performed according to principles other than those described above.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view typically showing the principle of cutting the glass laminate substrate S using the apparatus 1 according to another embodiment. The embodiment shown in fig. 4 differs from the embodiment of fig. 3 in that the cutting of the metal base material M is carried out further back in the direction of travel of the laser beam LB. Hereinafter, the embodiment shown in fig. 4 will be described with emphasis on this difference.

Referring to fig. 4, it may take longer time for the metal base material M to melt and generate fluidity, compared to the embodiment shown in fig. 3. In this case, the laser LB needs to be irradiated for a longer time to allow the metal base material M to have fluidity as compared with the embodiment shown in fig. 3, and therefore, in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the portion having fluidity may be located further rearward in the traveling direction of the laser LB.

In addition, the front end of the portion MF2 of the metal substrate M may not coincide with the front end of the crack (i.e., point CR) of the glass substrate G, where the portion MF2 is melted and removed.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart of a method of processing a glass laminate substrate S according to one embodiment.

Referring to fig. 1 and 5, in operation S110, the glass laminate substrate S may be transported to a processing location. The processing position may be on the support 3 of the apparatus 1 for processing the glass laminate substrate S. In some embodiments, the machining position may correspond to an aiming position at which the laser light LB emitted from the cutter module 5 is aimed.

The glass laminate substrate S has already been described in detail above with reference to fig. 3, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to fig. 3 and 5, in operation S120, the metal base material M may be locally heated by irradiating a laser LB to a cutting position. As described above, the laser LB may pass through the glass substrate G. Therefore, the energy of the laser LB may be mostly absorbed into the metal base material M, and thus the metal base material M may be heated.

The laser LB may have a power of about 3kW to about 7kW or about 4kW to about 6 kW. When the power of the laser LB is too low, the glass laminate substrate S may not be cut. Conversely, when the power of the laser LB is too high, the strength of the cut surface may not be satisfactory.

The focal point of the laser LB may be set at a position inside or below the glass laminate substrate S.

Thereafter, in operation S130, the glass substrate G may be locally cooled at the cutting position. The cooling may be performed by spraying a cooling gas. The cooling gas has already been described above with reference to fig. 1, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The cooling gas may be sparged at atmospheric pressure of about 4atm to about 20atm, about 6atm to about 18atm, or about 8atm to about 15 atm. When the ejection pressure of the cooling gas is too high or too low, the glass laminate substrate S may not be cut.

Since the glass base material G at the cutting position is contracted by the cooling gas and the metal base material M is heated by absorbing the continuously irradiated laser light LB, a tensile stress may be applied to the glass base material G in the regions BM and BG of fig. 3. When the temperature of the metal substrate M at the cutting position is increased, the tensile stress applied to the glass substrate G is also increased. When the tensile stress exceeds the limit that the glass substrate G can withstand, the glass substrate G is cracked and divided at a point CR in fig. 3.

Thereafter, in operation S140, the metal base material M may be partially melted, and the melted portion of the metal base material M may be blown out and removed using a cooling gas at the cutting position, so that the metal base material M may be divided.

Although the power of the laser LB is about 3kW to about 7kW, the cross section of the laser LB is very small, and thus, the laser LB has a very high energy density from several MV/cm at the position where the laser LB is irradiated²To tens of MV/cm². Therefore, as described above with reference to fig. 3, the metal base material M may be locally melted at the position where the laser LB is irradiated.

The metal base material M that has been locally melted has fluidity and thus can be inertially removed by the mechanical force of the cooling gas injected at high pressure.

At this time, the glass substrate G transmits the laser beam LB and is not melted by the laser beam LB. However, since the temperature of the metal base material M becomes high, the glass base material G may be locally and temporarily melted by the heat transferred from the metal base material M.

The above-described operations, that is, the operation S120 of locally heating the metal base material M by irradiating the laser LB, the operation S130 of locally cooling the glass base material G at the cutting position, and the operation S140 of dividing the metal base material M by locally melting the metal base material M at the cutting position and removing the melted portion of the metal base material M by blowing the melted portion with the cooling gas at the cutting position are sequentially performed to finally cut the glass laminate base material S. However, this series of operations is performed continuously over a very small area (i.e., the cutting location on which the laser LB is focused) and may be considered to be performed substantially simultaneously.

The irradiation position (i.e., the cutting position) to which the laser LB is irradiated may be continuously moved in the traveling direction of the laser LB (i.e., the arrow direction in fig. 3) on the glass laminate substrate S. When the cutting position is continuously moved and the above-described operations are sequentially performed in the cutting position, the glass laminate substrate S can be cut into a desired shape and size.

The speed of movement of the cutting position may be from about 1m/min (meters per minute) to about 10m/min, from about 1.5m/min to about 9m/min, from about 2m/min to about 8m/min, or from about 2.5m/min to about 7 m/min. When the moving speed of the cutting position is too slow, the productivity may be unsatisfactory, resulting in an economical disadvantage. When the moving speed of the cutting position is too fast, the glass laminate substrate S may not be cut, or the mechanical strength at the cutting position may be insufficient.

Thereafter, in operation S150, a portion of the glass laminate substrate S may be removed by grinding the cut surface of the glass laminate substrate S. Fig. 6 is an image of the glass laminated substrate S viewed from vertically above, the substrate being not ground after cutting. Referring to fig. 6, there is a HAZ a having a width of about 650 μm to about 700 μm from the edge of the glass substrate G. The HAZ a is a region of the metal substrate M (below the glass substrate G in the direction of the line of sight in fig. 6) where this region is affected by thermal expansion or melting during cutting, and then cooled.

A glass fracture zone B in which the glass is fractured and separated may extend along the edge of the HAZ a and have a width of about 280 μm to about 320 μm; and the defect region C, which is burned by the high temperature laser and structurally brittle, may extend along the edge of the HAZ a and have a width of about 80 μm. However, the width value of each region may depend on and vary with the particular test conditions.

Referring to fig. 6, a portion of the cutting surface within the glass fracture region B may be removed via grinding, and in particular, the cutting surface may be ground to remove at least the flaw region C.

Fig. 7 is a graph for comparing the edge strength of the cut surface of the glass laminate substrate S before and after grinding after cutting the glass laminate substrate S.

Referring to fig. 7, it can be seen that the edge strength after grinding is significantly improved compared to the edge strength before grinding. The intensity test was performed using a 4-point probe (4 PB).

Although the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by a particular theory, it may be inferred that HAZ a causes the metal substrate to expand and contract, thereby causing structural densification of a portion of the glass substrate present on the metal substrate, thereby improving strength. Specifically, this is interpreted as that when a portion (e.g., the defective region C in fig. 6) of the edge having a weak structure is not removed by grinding immediately before grinding after cutting, a crack initiated by the portion is propagated and the enhanced strength of the HAZ a is suppressed from being exhibited appropriately, but when this portion (i.e., the defective region C in fig. 6) is removed by grinding, the enhanced strength of the HAZ a can be exhibited appropriately.

Fig. 8 is a graph showing the change in the edge strength of the glass laminate substrate S with respect to the amount of grinding of the cut surface of the glass laminate substrate S.

Referring to fig. 8, the 4PB strength was increased up to the grinding amount of 300 μm, which is interpreted as increasing the mechanical strength by removing the weak portion as described above. When the cut surface was ground to a depth of 500 μm, the 4PB strength was reduced, which can be interpreted as a reduction in mechanical strength because the HAZ having high strength was largely removed.

Although there are various methods of cutting a substrate, when these methods are applied to a glass laminate substrate, the edge strength is less than 100MPa, which is insufficient for industrial applications. For example, using CO₂The edge strength with laser is about 47MPa, the edge strength with dicing saw is about 54MPa, the edge strength with sandblasting is about 78MPa, the edge strength with water jet is about 47MPa, the edge strength with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine is about 78MPa, and the edge strength with diamond wheel is about 53 MPa. However, when the glass laminate substrate is cut using the method according to one embodiment, a high edge strength of well over 150MPa may be obtained.

When the method of processing and cutting a glass laminate substrate and the apparatus for processing a glass laminate substrate according to the embodiments are used, a glass laminate substrate having high edge strength after cutting can be produced.

It is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are to be considered merely as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is generally contemplated that the descriptions of features or aspects in each embodiment may be applied to other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. Although one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.