Method and apparatus for cutting a non-metal substrate by using a laser beam

• US 20020046997A1
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Baek-Kyun, Choo, Dae-Ho, Nam, Hyung-Woo
• Granted Patent: US 6,541,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.72
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0736 into an oval shape, e.g. elliptic shape
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/146 the fluid stream containing a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 33/093 using two or more focussed radiation beams
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133351 Manufacturing of individual cells out of a plurality of cells, e.g. by dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67092 Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting, see the relevant groups in subclasses B24B or B28D

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for cutting a non-metal substrate. A laser device generates a first laser beam onto a cutting route formed in the non-metal substrate for heating the cutting route such that a scribe line is formed on the cutting route. The laser device also generates a second laser beam, which is spaced by a predetermined distance from the first laser beam, such that a beam pattern is formed along a radiating route of the first laser beam. A cooling device forms a crack by applying a cooling fluid beam onto the cutting route formed between the first laser beam and the second laser beam. After applying the cooling fluid beam, the non-metal substrate is cut by using one beam pattern, to simplify an optical system. A great tensile force is generated in the scribe line, so the thick non-metal substrate can be completely cut at once.

Claims

1. A method for cutting a non-metal substrate along a cutting route, comprising the steps of:

rapidly heating a first area of of the cutting route by radiating a first laser beam onto the cutting route;

forming a scribe line having a predetermined depth by irradiating a cooling fluid beam onto the first area; and

rapidly heating the scribe line by radiating a second laser beam along the cutting route irradiated by the first laser beam, thereby completely cutting the non-metal substrate.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second laser beam is irradiated directly on the scribe line.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second laser beam has a temperature lower than a melting point of the non-metal substrate.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first laser beam is narrower than the second laser beam and the cooling fluid beam is narrower than the first laser beam.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the first laser beam is narrower than 5 mm, and the width of the second laser beam is wider than the width of the first laser beam but narrower than 20 mm.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid beam is irradiated onto a second area of the cutting route, the second area being adjacent to the first area of the cutting route.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid beam is applied onto a third area of the cutting route, the third area being spaced by a predetermined distance from the first area of the cutting route.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a distance between the cooling fluid beam and the first laser beam is no more than about 25 mm.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid beam is irradiated onto a fourth area of the cutting route that is positioned inside of the first area.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second laser beam is irradiated in a circular shape or an oval shape.

11. An apparatus for cutting a non-metal substrate, comprising:

a laser device that irradiates a first laser beam onto a cutting route on the non-metal substrate to form a scribe line along the cutting route and that irradiates a second laser beam spaced apart from the first laser beam and along the cutting route irradiated by the first laser beam; and

a cooler that applies a cooling fluid beam to form a crack along the cutting route formed between the first laser beam and the second laser beam.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second laser beam has a temperature lower than a melting point of the non-metal substrate.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the laser device includes a laser source for creating the first laser beam and the second laser beam.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first laser beam is narrower than the second laser beam, and the cooling fluid beam is narrower than the first laser beam.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first laser beam is narrower than 5 mm, and the second laser beam is wider than the first laser beam but narrower than 20 mm.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a distance between the first laser beam and the cooling fluid beam is larger than zero.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the distance between the first laser beam and the cooling fluid beam is no longer than about 25 mm.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a distance from the cooling fluid beam to a lower end of the first laser beam is less than zero.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a distance between the cooling fluid beam and the first laser beam is zero.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a depth of the second laser beam is shallower than a depth of the first laser beam.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second laser beam has a circular shape or an oval shape.

22. An apparatus for cutting a non-metal substrate, comprising:

a first laser device for generating a first laser beam onto a cutting route formed in the non-metal substrate for heating the cutting route such that a scribe line is formed on the cutting route;

a second laser device for generating a second laser beam onto the scribe line while maintaining a predetermined distance from the first laser beam; and

a device for forming a crack by applying a cooling fluid beam onto the cutting route formed between the first laser beam and the second laser beam.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second laser beam has a temperature lower than a melting point of the non-metal substrate.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a width of the first laser beam is smaller than a width of the second laser beam, and a width of the cooling fluid beam is smaller than the width of the first laser beam.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, a width of the first laser beam is no more than about 5 mm, and a width of the second laser beam is larger than the width of the first laser beam and is no more than about 20 mm.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a distance between the first laser beam and the cooling fluid beam is larger than zero.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the distance between the first laser beam and the cooling fluid beam is no more than about 25 mm.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a distance between the cooling fluid beam and the first laser beam is less than zero.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a distance between the cooling fluid beam and the first laser beam is zero.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a depth of the second laser beam is shallower than a depth of the first laser beam.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second laser beam has a circular shape or an oval shape.