Method of making at least one hole in a transparent body and devices made by this method

• US 6,990,285 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Streltsov, Alexander, Schroeder, Joseph F
• Primary Examiner(s): Connelly-Cushwa, Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, TINA MEI SENG
• Application Number:
  US10/632,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/137
• US Class Current: 385/137
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/172 wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/009 using a non-absorbing, e.g. transparent, reflective or refractive, layer on the workpiece using a mask on the workpiece B23K26/066
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0648 comprising lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1224 in vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/18 using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/384 of specially shaped holes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 21/06 by flashing-off, burning-off or fusing C03B9/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/02 Re-forming glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0025 by a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3636 the mechanical coupling means being grooves G02B6/3652 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3644 the coupling means being through-holes or wall apertures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3652 the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3672 with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3688 using laser ablation

Abstract

A method of making an at least one hole in an optically transparent body comprises the following steps: (i) providing an ultrashort pulse laser for producing a laser output with a wavelength λ, the laser output having a subpicosecond laser pulse duration; (ii) providing a laser output focusing lens for focusing the laser output, the focusing lens having a numerical aperture NA; (iii) providing an optically transparent body, the optically transparent body having a transparency at λ of at least 90%/cm; (iv) providing a liquid filled container situated proximate to the optically transparent body, such that the optically transparent body is in direct contact with the liquid; and (v) directing the laser output through the focusing lens to produce a focused laser output with a subpicosecond laser pulse duration proximate the optically transparent body, wherein the focused laser output traces at least one hole track pattern through the transparent glass body while the optically transparent body and said focused laser output move relative to one another in X-Y-Z directions. The at least one hole track pattern is in contact with the liquid and the focused laser output, in conjunction with the liquid, creates at least one hole in the optically transparent body.

Claims

1. A method of making at least one hole through an optically transparent body, said method comprising:

providing an ultrashort pulse laser for producing a laser output with a wavelength λ

, said laser output having a subpicosecond laser pulse duration;

providing a laser output focusing lens for focusing said laser output, said focusing lens having a numerical aperture NA;

providing an optically transparent body, optically transparent body having a transparency at λ

of at least 90%/cm;

providing a liquid filled container situated proximate to at least a portion of said optically transparent body, such that said optically transparent body is in direct contact with said liquid; and

directing said laser output through said focusing lens to produce a focused laser output with a subpicosecond laser pulse duration proximate said optically transparent body, said focused laser output tracing at least one hole track pattern through said transparent glass body while said optically transparent body and said focused laser output move relative to one another in X-Y-Z directions;

wherein said at least one hole track pattern is in contact with said liquid and wherein said focused laser output in conjunction with said liquid create at least one hole in said optically transparent body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said hole track pattern has a width of at least 22 μ

m.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said hole track pattern has a width of at least 50 μ

m.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said hole track pattern has a width between 75 μ

m and 200 μ

m.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

providing a controllable positioning translation stage;

positioning said optically transparent body within said stage; and

translating said optically transparent body relative to location of said focused laser output.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the speed of movement of said focused laser output relative to said optically transparent body is at least 10 μ

m/s.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the speed of movement of said focused laser output relative to said optically transparent body is in the range of 50 μ

m/s to 250 μ

m/s.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein pulse energy is at least 4 μ

j.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically transparent body comprises material selected from a group consisting of glass, glass-ceramic and sapphire.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said glass body is an oxide glass body.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing an optically transparent body includes providing a silica glass with at least 100 ppm wt. OH.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing an transparent body body includes providing a silica glass with at least 500 ppm wt. OH.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing an transparent body body includes providing an uncerammed glass-ceramic glass.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein providing an uncerammed glass-ceramic glass is selected from a group consisting of an aluminosilicate glass green body, a glass which is cerammable into a negative thermal expansion glass-ceramic body, and a photosensitive nucleated glass.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid includes at least one of the following:

(i) water, (ii) surfactant;

(iii) methanol;

(iv) acetone.

16. The method of claim 9, further including the steps of inserting an optical fiber-into said hole, thereby providing a glass body with a hole containing optical fiber.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said focused laser output in conjunction with said liquid create a plurality of holes in said optically transparent body.

18. The method of claim 17, said method including the steps of inserting an optical fiber-into each of said holes of said glass body.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing said ultrashort pulse laser includes providing a <

100 fs pulse laser for producing a laser output having a <

100 fs laser pulse duration.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing said ultrashort pulse laser provides a laser output having a <

50 fs laser pulse duration.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing said ultrashort pulse laser produces a laser output having a ≦

40 fs laser pulse duration.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing said ultrashort pulse laser produces a laser output having a ≧

5 μ

J pulse.

23. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing an optically transparent body is an oxide bulk glass body with a λ

transparency ≧

95%/cm.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing said ultrashort pulse laser includes providing a λ

<

1000 nm laser.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said wavelength λ

is in the range of 800±

100 nm.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein λ

is centered about 800 nm.

27. An optical device made by the method of claim 1.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hole track pattern through said oxide glass body comprises an outline shell hole track which surrounds an unexposed center glass volume which is detached from said oxide glass body to provide said hole.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said outline shell hole track has a circular cross-section.

30. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said outline shell hole track has a divided circular cross-section.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein said outline shell hole track has a varying cross-section.