H. K. Tönshoff
A. Ostendorf
C. Kulik
H. Hesener
O. Haupt

Final glass products in one processing step by the means of laser radiation

International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro Optics (ICALEO)
13.-16. Oktober
Jacksonville
2003
Type: Konferenzbeitrag
Abstract
Increasing demands on high-quality products like display glasses or solar cells require new Increasing demands on high-quality products like display glasses or solar cells require new cutting techniques. There have been requests to increase process efficiency, flexibility, edge quality and purity from insufficient present processes. Laser technology has become generally accepted in many industries, but only partially for the glass treatment industry. A current promising glass processing method is laser blasting. This glass cutting method is based on thermally induced stress. Here, there are essentially two types of laser sources which can be utilized for this method, the CO2 and the Nd:YAG laser. Using a CO2 laser, the cutting process is limited to a glass wall thickness up to s = 2 mm, whereas the Nd:YAG laser allows the cutting of flat glasses up to s = 19 mm. Moreover, Nd:YAG laser blasting also enables the cutting of multiple layered glass plates in only one working step. The Nd:YAG laser blasting process presents a very interesting alternative to conventional cutting processes for soda-lime flat glass and offers highest potential for future applications within the flat glass industry. In this paper, the fundamental investigations of the laser-material-interaction for soda-lime glass, at different wavelengths, will be shown. Remarkably, with Nd:YAG laser radiation, glass can be separated in one processing step without pollution.