Laser welding transparent glass sheets using low melting glass or thin absorbing films

• US 10,283,731 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Dabich, II, Leonard Charles, Logunov, Stephan Lvovich, Quesada, Mark Alejandro, Streltsov, Alexander Mikhailovich
• Primary Examiner(s): Menz, Laura M
• Application Number:
  US15/699,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20180138446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/206 Laser sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/06 comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/03 3 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/40 Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/20 Inorganic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0825 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0831 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0843 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/206 Organic displays, e.g. OLED
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/06 characterised by the heating method
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/203 Uniting glass sheets C03B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2204/00 Glasses, glazes or enamels with special properties
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2207/00 Compositions specially applicable for the manufacture of vitreous enamels
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/32 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0025 by a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/06 Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/08 with the aid of intervening metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/12 Silica-free oxide glass compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/14 containing boron
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/16 : containing phosphorus
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/23 : containing halogen and at least one oxide, e.g. oxide of boron
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/247 : containing fluorine and phosphorus
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 4/0071 : for laserable glass
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/24 : Fusion seal compositions being frit compositions having non-frit additions, i.e. for use as seals between dissimilar materials, e.g. glass and metal; Glass solders
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/00 : Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 : Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/50 : Forming devices by joining two substrates together, e.g. lamination techniques

Abstract

A method of sealing a workpiece comprising forming an inorganic film over a surface of a first substrate, arranging a workpiece to be protected between the first substrate and a second substrate wherein the inorganic film is in contact with the second substrate; and sealing the workpiece between the first and second substrates as a function of the composition of impurities in the first or second substrates and as a function of the composition of the inorganic film by locally heating the inorganic film with a predetermined laser radiation wavelength. The inorganic film, the first substrate, or the second substrate can be transmissive at approximately 420 nm to approximately 750 nm.

Claims

1. A bonding method comprising:

forming an inorganic film over a surface of a first substrate;

positioning a second substrate in contact with the inorganic film; and

bonding the first and second substrates by locally heating the inorganic film with laser radiation having a predetermined wavelength;

wherein at least one of the first and second substrates includes impurities causing the at least one substrate to develop color centers in response to the laser radiation of the predetermined wavelength such that the bonding occurs as a function of a composition of the impurities in the at least one substrate and as a function of a composition of the inorganic film.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the inorganic film, the first substrate, and the second substrate are transmissive at wavelengths ranging from about 420 m to about 750 nm.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging workpiece between the first and second substrates prior to locally heating the inorganic film with laser radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a second inorganic film over a surface of the second substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition of the inorganic film is selected from the group consisting of SnO₂, ZnO, TiO₂, ITO, Zn, Ti, Ce, Pb, Fe, Va, Cr, Mn, Mg, Ge, SnF₂, ZnF₂, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition of the inorganic film comprises:

20-100 mol % SnO;

0-50 mol % SnF₂; and

0-30 mol % P₂O₅ or B₂O₃.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the impurities in the first or second substrates are selected from the group consisting of As, Fe, Ga, K, Mn, Na, P, Sb, Ti, Zn, Sn, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates comprises a glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic, polymer, or metal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser radiation comprises UV radiation at a predetermined wavelength from about 193 nm to about 420 nm or NIR radiation at a predetermined wavelength from about 780 nm to about 5000 nm.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein development of the color centers in the at least one substrate occurs after the inorganic film begins to melt in response to the laser radiation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the developed color centers increase a rate at which the at least one substrate absorbs the laser radiation.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate and the inorganic film develop color centers in response to the predetermined laser radiation wavelength.

20. A device created according to the method of claim 1.

10. A sealed device comprising:

an inorganic film formed over a surface of a first substrate;

a second substrate in contact with the inorganic film; and

a bond formed between the first and second substrates as a function of a composition of impurities in at least one of the first and second substrates, and as a function of a composition of the inorganic film through local heating of the inorganic film with laser radiation having a predetermined wavelength;

wherein the at least one substrate comprises color centers developed in response to the laser radiation of the predetermined wavelength interacting with the impurities.

11. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the inorganic film, the first substrate, and the second substrate is transmissive at wavelengths ranging from about 420 nm to about 750 nm.

12. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates comprises a glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic, polymer, or metal.

13. The sealed device of claim 10, further comprising a second inorganic film formed over a surface of the second substrate.

14. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film has a thickness ranging from about 0.1 microns to about 10 microns.

15. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the composition of the inorganic film is selected from the group consisting of SnO₂, ZnO, TiO₂, ITO, Zn, Ti, Ce, Pb, Fe, Va, Cr, Mn, Mg, Ge, SnF₂, ZnF₂, and combinations thereof.

16. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the composition of the inorganic film comprises:

20-100 mol % SnO;

0-50 mol % SnF₂; and

0-30 mol % P₂O₅ or B₂O₃.