Separation of transparent workpieces

1. A method for generating a series of line-shaped damage formations in a transparent workpiece along a line, comprising:

providing a laser processing device including an ultra-short pulsed laser and a focusing optic system, the laser processing device illuminating laser radiation with a wavelength that is within a transmission range of the workpiece;

providing a workpiece table and a displacement device for directing the focusing optic system onto the workpiece during generation of the damage formations and incrementally displacing the focusing optic system and the workpiece table relative to each other according to the line; and

emitting, while the focusing optic system is directed to each location of the damage formations, laser pulses in two or more successive periods at the workpiece while the workpiece is exposed to a protective gas atmosphere, wherein the laser pulses have an energy during each period that is dimensioned so that a corresponding filament formation is produced in the workpiece, and wherein the successive periods produce consecutively aligned filament formations extending transversely through the workpiece.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each filament formation comprises a plurality of focusing and defocusing points aligned transversely to the workpiece like a string of pearls.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the increments of displacement of the focusing optic system relative to the workpiece are in the order of magnitude of the lateral dimension of the filament formations along the series of damage formations.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number of successive periods at each location of damage formation is a function of a local thickness of the workpiece.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the focusing optic system generates a radiation beam having a cross-sectional shape with a larger dimension in a direction along the line of locations of line-shaped damage formations than transverse to the direction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the focusing optic system is adjustable with respect to the larger cross-sectional dimension of the radiation beam, so that alignment of the larger cross-sectional dimension is adjusted to follow the line of damage formations.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein during the generation of the series of line-shaped damage formations, the workpiece is exposed to the protective gas atmosphere to prevent premature fracture along the line of locations of the damage formations.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising exposing the damage formations to a gas that includes a content of hydroxyl (OH) ions to promote the separating and cleaving of the workpiece along the line.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising breaking the workpiece along the line.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective gas atmosphere comprises nitrogen.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective gas atmosphere is free of OH ions.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective gas atmosphere has a water content of less than 0.2 vol %.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective gas atmosphere has a water content of less than 0.1 vol %.