System and methods of embedding material in a glass substrate
View Patent ↗A method for embedding a dopant into a glass substrate is provided. The method may include the steps of applying the dopant to a surface of the glass substrate, positioning the glass substrate adjacent to a catalyst such that the dopant is intermediate the catalyst and the glass substrate, heating the glass substrate to a first temperature, operating a directed thermal energy source so as to generate thermal energy incident upon the dopant, reducing the temperature of the glass substrate to a second temperature below the first temperature, and holding the glass substrate at the second temperature for at least a period of time.
1. A method for embedding a dopant into a glass substrate comprising the steps of:
applying the dopant to a surface of the glass substrate;
positioning the glass substrate adjacent to a catalyst such that the dopant is intermediate the catalyst and the glass substrate;
heating the glass substrate to a first temperature above an ambient environmental temperature;
operating a directed thermal energy source so as to generate thermal energy incident upon the dopant;
reducing the temperature of the glass substrate to a second temperature above the ambient environmental temperature but below the first temperature; and
holding the glass substrate at the second temperature for at least a period of time.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first temperature is above a stress-relief point of the glass substrate.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first temperature is below a softening point of the glass substrate.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first temperature is at least 600° Celsius.
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the first temperature is 650° Celsius.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second temperature is at least 560° Celsius.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the second temperature is 590° Celsius.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the dopant comprises at least one of copper, zinc and gold.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the dopant comprises at least one of polyurethane and borax.
10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of reducing the temperature of the glass substrate to ambient environmental temperature.
11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of holding the glass substrate at the second temperate for the period of time comprises holding the glass substrate at the second temperature for between 5 minutes and 10 minutes.
12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the thermal energy generated by the directed thermal energy source has a peak wavelength of at least one of 355 nanometers and 532 nanometers.
13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of operating the directed thermal energy source comprises operating the directed thermal energy source at a pulse frequency of about 8 kHz.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of heating the glass substrate comprises indirectly heating the glass substrate by heating the catalyst.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the catalyst is heated by use of an infrared heating device.
16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises at least one of stainless steel, nickel, gold, aluminum, iron, and manganese.
17. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning each of the glass substrate, the dopant, and the catalyst in an ambient air environment such that the thermal energy generated by the directed thermal energy source is incident upon the dopant in the ambient air environment.
18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the glass substrate comprises at least one of borosilicate and soda-lime glass.
19. A method for embedding a dopant into a glass substrate comprising the steps of:
applying the dopant to a surface of the glass substrate;
positioning the glass substrate adjacent to a catalyst such that the dopant is intermediate the catalyst and the glass substrate;
positioning each of the glass substrate, the dopant, and the catalyst in an ambient air environment;
heating the glass substrate to 650° Celsius;
operating a directed thermal energy source so as to generate a beam of thermal energy incident upon the dopant;
reducing the temperature of the glass substrate to 590° Celsius;
holding the glass substrate at the second temperature for between 5 minutes and 10 minutes; and
reducing the temperature of the glass substrate to ambient environmental temperature.
20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the steps of heating the glass substrate comprises indirectly heating the glass substrate by heating the catalyst by use of an infrared heating device.
21. A method for embedding a dopant into a glass substrate comprising the steps of:
applying the dopant to a surface of the glass substrate;
positioning the glass substrate adjacent to a catalyst such that the dopant is intermediate the catalyst and the glass substrate;
positioning each of the glass substrate, the dopant, and the catalyst in a sample chamber;
depressurizing the sample chamber to a pressure within the range from about 0 kPa to about −100 kPa; and
operating a directed thermal energy source so as to generate a beam of thermal energy incident upon the dopant, thereby forming a mixture of the dopant and the catalyst, depositing an embedment of the mixture into the glass substrate, and causing material from the glass substrate to form an isolation layer adjacent the embedment;
wherein the beam has a peak wavelength of at least one of 355 nanometers and 532 nanometers; and
wherein the dopant comprises at least one of copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, and alloys thereof, conductive polymers, Group IV elemental and/or compound semiconductors, Group III-V semiconductors including aluminum-, indium-, and gallium-based semiconductors, and Group II-VI semiconductors including zinc oxide; and
wherein the catalyst is a powdered metallic substance.