STRENGTHENED GLASS ARTICLES HAVING ETCHED FEATURES AND METHODS OF FORMING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a strengthened glass article having an etched feature, the method comprising:
- providing a non-strengthened glass article comprising a first surface and a second surface;
focusing a laser beam onto the first surface of the non-strengthened glass article to ablate material from the first surface;
translating the laser beam relative to the non-strengthened glass article within a boundary defined by a desired etched feature, wherein translation of the laser beam ablates the material from the first surface at a depth to form the etched feature; and
chemically strengthening the non-strengthened glass article by a chemical strengthening process after forming the etched feature, wherein;
the strengthened glass article comprises a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from the first surface and the second surface of the strengthened glass article, respectively, to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; and
the depth of the etched feature is less than the depth of layer such that the etched feature is within the compressive stress layer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Strengthened glass articles having laser etched features, electronic devices, and methods of fabricating etched features in strengthened glass articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a strengthened glass article includes a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress. The strengthened glass article further includes at least one etched feature formed by laser ablation within the first surface or the second surface having a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or second surface outside of the at least one etched feature.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a strengthened glass article having an etched feature, the method comprising:
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providing a non-strengthened glass article comprising a first surface and a second surface; focusing a laser beam onto the first surface of the non-strengthened glass article to ablate material from the first surface; translating the laser beam relative to the non-strengthened glass article within a boundary defined by a desired etched feature, wherein translation of the laser beam ablates the material from the first surface at a depth to form the etched feature; and chemically strengthening the non-strengthened glass article by a chemical strengthening process after forming the etched feature, wherein; the strengthened glass article comprises a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from the first surface and the second surface of the strengthened glass article, respectively, to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; and the depth of the etched feature is less than the depth of layer such that the etched feature is within the compressive stress layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18)
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11. A strengthened glass article comprising:
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a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; and at least one etched feature within the first surface or the second surface, the at least one etched feature comprising a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or the second surface outside of the at least one etched feature, wherein the at least one etched feature is formed by laser ablation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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19. A method of fabricating a strengthened glass article having an etched feature, the method comprising:
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providing a strengthened glass substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the strengthened glass article comprises a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from the first surface and the second surface of the strengthened glass article, respectively, to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; depositing one or more thin layers of material on the first surface and/or the second surface of the strengthened glass substrate; focusing a laser beam onto the one or more thin layers of material; and translating the laser beam relative to the strengthened glass substrate within a boundary defined by a desired etched feature, wherein translation of the laser beam ablates material from a first surface of the one or more thin layers of material at a depth to form the etched feature within the one or more thin layers of material, and the strengthened glass substrate remains undamaged from the laser beam. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification