Glass welding method

• US 9,887,059 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Original Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JODI COHEN
• Application Number:
  US13/511,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20120240633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,699 Days
• Field of Search: 65 43- 44, 65156, 156 99
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/54 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/18 using absorbing layers on the workpiece, e.g. for marking or protecting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/245 Hollow glass sheets
• 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: H01J 9/261 the vessel being for a flat panel display for flat discharge lamps H01J9/268
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

A glass layer 103 containing a binder, a laser-light-absorbing pigment, and a glass frit 102 is irradiated with laser light L2, so as to gasify the binder and melt the glass fit 102, thereby fixing the glass layer 103 to a glass member 104. This allows the glass layer 103 fixed to the glass member 104 to let out the binder and enhance the laser light absorptance, so as to yield a uniform state. As a result, fusing glass members 104, 105 to each other with the glass layer 103 having such a stable state interposed therebetween allows the glass members 104, 105 to have a uniform fusing state therebetween.

Claims

1. A glass fusing method for manufacturing a glass fusing structure by fusing first and second glass members to each other, the method comprising:

arranging a glass layer containing a binder, a laser-light-absorbing material, and a glass powder on the first glass member along a region to be fused, the glass layer having a surface exposed to atmosphere and a melting point;

irradiating the glass layer with a laser light along the region to be fused to a temperature greater than the melting point to gasify the binder and melt the glass powder, thereby fixing the glass layer to the first glass member and enhancing laser light absorptance in the glass layer; and

superposing the second glass member on the surface of the glass layer and fusing the second glass member with the first glass member having the glass layer fixed thereto with the glass layer interposed therebetween and irradiating the glass layer with second laser light to fuse the first and second glass members to each other.

2. The glass layer fusing method according to claim 1, wherein the binder has a decomposition point, and the melting point of the glass layer is higher than the decomposition point of the binder.