Granted Patent B2

US 12,383,985 · App. 17/554,357 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Inventors: Andreas Simon Gaab (Grobenzell, DE); Richard Anthony Gaona (Novato, CA); Nicolai Martin Haenel (Bayern, DE); Dale Humphrey (Santa Rosa, CA); Ralf Joachim Terbrueggen (Bavaria, DE); John Eric Tyler (Napa, CA)

Assignee: Corning Incorporated

B23K26/53B23K26/0006B23K26/70B23K2103/54

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A method comprising:

forming a plurality of defects within a first channel of a plurality of channels of a substrate with a laser beam focal line using a laser beam, the plurality of channels being disposed between dies within the substrate, each defect of the plurality of defects being a damage track within the first channel of the substrate with a diameter of about 10 microns or less, and the plurality of defects forming a contour line in the first channel of the substrate,

the substrate having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite from the first surface;

exerting (i) a first force on the first surface of the substrate within a second channel of the plurality of channels at a location that is adjacent to the contour line and a second force on the second surface of the substrate at a location that is on the contour line;

breaking the substrate along the contour line and into a first substrate portion and a second substrate portion; and

further comprising exerting a third force on the first surface of the substrate within a third channel of the plurality of the channels at a location that is adjacent to the contour line and at an opposite side of the contour line than the first force.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third force is equal to the first force.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exerting the first force with a first breaker bar, the first breaker bar only contacting the substrate at an edge of the breaker bar.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is disposed on a flexible membrane, the method further comprising exerting the second force on the flexible membrane and on the second surface of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flexible membrane bends and flexes due to the exertion of at least one of the first force and the second force.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flexible membrane is comprised of a polymeric material.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flexible membrane has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 300 microns.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flexible membrane has an elasticity of about 120% or more in a horizontal direction of the flexible membrane and about 120% or more in a vertical direction of the flexible membrane.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the damage track is about 5 microns or less.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is comprised of a glass substrate, a glass-ceramic substrate, or a semiconductor wafer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second plurality of defects within the substrate with the laser beam, each defect of the second plurality of defects being a damage track within the substrate with a diameter of about 10 microns or less, the second plurality of defects forming a second contour line on the substrate; and

exerting (i) a fourth force on the first surface of the substrate at a location that is adjacent to the second contour line and (ii) a fifth force on the second surface of the substrate at a location that is on the second contour line; and

breaking the substrate along the second contour line and into a third substrate portion and a fourth substrate portion.

12. A system comprising:

a laser processing system comprising a beam source configured to output a laser beam that is focused into a laser beam focal line; and

a substrate breaking system comprising a first set of breaker bars and a flexible membrane,

the first set of breaker bars comprising a first breaker bar with a first edge, a second breaker bar with a second edge, and a third breaker bar with a third edge, and

the first breaker bar and the second breaker bar being disposed on a first side of the flexible membrane and the third breaker bar being disposed on a second side of the flexible membrane, and

the flexible membrane comprising a base layer and an adhesive layer such that a thickness of the adhesive layer is less than a thickness of the base layer.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a second set of breaker bars comprising a first breaker bar, a second breaker bar, and a third breaker bar, wherein:

the first breaker bar of the second set of breaker bars has a shorter length than the first breaker bar of the first set of breaker bars,

the second breaker bar of the second set of breaker bars has a shorter length than the second breaker bar of the first set of breaker bars,

the third breaker bar of the second set of breaker bars has a shorter length than the third breaker bar of the first set of breaker bars.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a first rotating member, the first breaker bar and the second breaker bar being disposed on the first rotating member.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first breaker bar and the second breaker bar are disposed on a single side of the first rotating member.

16. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a second rotating member, the third breaker bar being disposed on the second rotating member.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the flexible membrane is comprised of a polymeric material.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the flexible membrane has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 300 microns.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the flexible membrane has an elasticity of about 120% or more in a horizontal direction of the flexible membrane and about 120% or more in a vertical direction of the flexible membrane.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (31)