Method of machining glass substrate and method fabricating high-frequency circuit

• US 6,772,514 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yajima, Hiroyoshi, Hashidate, Yuji, Ogura, Hiroshi, Yoshida, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, Alvin J
• Application Number:
  US09/878,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20020005805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/46, 298/52, 298/47, 65/172, 65/173, 653/92, 219/121.7, 219/121.6
• US Class Current: 29/846
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0624 using ultrashort pulses, i.e. pulses of 1ns or less
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/28 with organic material C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/32 with synthetic or natural resins C03C17/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0025 by a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/003 Manufacturing lines with conductors on a substrate, e.g. strip lines, slot lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0029 of inorganic insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 with selective destruction of conductive paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base

Abstract

A method of machining a glass substrate by using a laser, in which a low-permittivity, low-dielectric-loss glass substrate capable of coping with mass production processes is made applicable as the substrate of a high-frequency circuit intended for microwave and millimeter-wave bands in particular. For that purpose, a glass substrate is provided in which the amount of air bubbles in glass is arbitrarily controlled to improve the workability of the substrate itself. Then, the glass substrate is machined while being irradiated with a pulsed laser for a plurality of times, thereby improving the machining shape of the glass substrate. Since glass substrates which are typically difficult to machine can be easily applied to the fabrication of high-frequency circuits, it becomes possible to supply high-performance circuits and apparatuses widely to the public.

Claims

1. A glass substrate machining method comprising the steps of:

machining a glass substrate by using a laser;

controlling an amount of air bubbles in said glass substrate; and

controlling a condensation of the laser in a manner that the laser beam is condensed into focus on an inside portion of the bubble-bearing glass substrate;

wherein a cavity or bore is formed only inside of said glass substrate.

2. The glass substrate machining method according to claim 1, wherein a CO₂ laser is used to perform the laser machining.