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

• US 9,761,828 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• 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 MARY
• Application Number:
  US15/090,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20160289111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 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 method for sealing a device 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 the inorganic film comprises;

at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of ZnO, TiO2, SnO, SnO2, and CeO2,

a thickness ranging from about 10 nm to about 2 um, and

an optical absorption of at least about 10% at an ultraviolet wavelength ranging from about 193 nm to about 355 nm,

wherein the bonding between the inorganic film and the first and second substrates is conducted 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 though a local heating of the inorganic film with laser radiation having a predetermined wavelength.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film, and optionally the first or second substrate, has an optical transmission of at least about 90% at a visible wavelength ranging from about 420 nm to about 750 nm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film has an optical absorption of at least about 15% at an ultraviolet wavelength ranging from about 193 nm to about 355 nm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film has a thickness ranging from about 100 nm to about 1 μ

m.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film is substantially free of inorganic fillers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film comprises a non-frit glass composition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film has a glass transition temperature less than about 600°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a device to be protected between the first and second substrates.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic film is formed over substantially all of the surface of the first substrate or around a perimeter of the device to be protected.

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 inorganic film and the first and second substrates, wherein the inorganic film comprises;

at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of ZnO, TiO2, SnO, SnO2, and CeO2,

a thickness ranging from about 10 nm to about 2 um, and

an optical absorption of at least about 10% at an ultraviolet wavelength ranging from about 193 nm to about 355 nm,

wherein the bond between the inorganic film and the first and second substrates is formed 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 though a local heating of the inorganic film with laser radiation having a predetermined wavelength.

11. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film, and optionally the first or second substrate, has an optical transmission of at least about 90% at a visible wavelength ranging from about 420 nm to about 750 nm.

12. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film has an optical absorption of at least about 15% at an ultraviolet wavelength ranging from about 193 nm to about 355 nm.

13. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film has a thickness ranging from about 100 nm to about 1 μ

m.

14. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film is substantially free of inorganic fillers.

15. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film comprises a non-frit glass composition.

16. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the inorganic film has a glass transition temperature less than about 600°

C.

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

18. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein both the first and second substrates comprise a glass or glass-ceramic.

19. The sealed device of claim 10, further comprising a device positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, organic light emitting diodes, conductive leads, transparent conductive oxide layers, semiconductors, electrodes, quantum dot materials, phosphors, and combinations thereof.

20. A display device comprising the sealed device of claim 10.

21. The sealed device of claim 10, wherein the bond between the inorganic film and the first and second substrates is formed 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 though a local heating of the inorganic film with laser radiation having a predetermined wavelength.

22. The device of claim 21, 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.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the predetermined wavelength of laser radiation comprises ultraviolet wavelengths ranging from about 193 nm to about 355 nm.