Second surface laser ablation

• US 9,895,772 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Luten, Henry A., Geerlings, Kurtis L., Bareman, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, BRANDI N
• Application Number:
  US14/874,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20160199936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 359242, 359245, 359248, 359250-254, 359267-273, 359315-318, 359321, 359322
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/08 Non-ferrous metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/166 Multilayered materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0624 using ultrashort pulses, i.e. pulses of 1ns or less
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0661 disposed on the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/362 Laser etching
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/402 involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/57 the laser beam entering a face of the workpiece from which it is transmitted through the workpiece material to work on a different workpiece face, e.g. for effecting removal, fusion splicing, modifying or reforming
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00596 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 30/00 Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process C23C26/00, C23C28/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details

Abstract

A method of removing material from an opposite side of workpiece includes directing a laser beam at a first side of the workpiece to remove the material from an opposite second side of the workpiece.

Claims

1. A product comprising:

a substrate;

a coating layer disposed over a first surface of the substrate;

a portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer; and

an electrically conductive layer disposed between the substrate and the coating layer and over the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer;

wherein an edge of the coating layer adjacent the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer forms an average angle with the first substrate surface in a range of 30°

to 120°

, the edge of the coating layer adjacent the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer has a characteristic length, L, that is a length of the portion of the edge of the coating layer in which a thickness of the coating layer tapers from a nominal coating layer thickness, t, to zero thickness, and L≦

100 μ

m.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein L≦

50 μ

m.

3. The product of claim 2, wherein L≦

200 nm.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the coating layer comprises a metallic material.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is free of the coating layer exhibits a transmission haze of 0.05% or less.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is free of the coating layer exhibits a transmission haze of 0.25% or less.

7. The product of claim 1, wherein the edge of the coating layer adjacent the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer has a scalloped profile.

8. The product of claim 7, wherein a depth of the scallops is less than 100 μ

m.

9. The product of claim 8, wherein a depth of the scallops is less than 50 μ

m.

10. The product of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an electrochromic layer;

wherein the electrochromic layer is disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the first electrode layer is disposed over the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is free of the coating layer.

11. A vehicle rearview mirror assembly comprising a product comprising:

a substrate;

a coating layer disposed over a first surface of the substrate;

a portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer; and

an electrically conductive layer disposed between the substrate and the coating layer and over the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer;

wherein an edge of the coating layer adjacent the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer forms an average angle with the first substrate surface in a range of 30°

to 120°

, the edge of the coating layer adjacent the portion of the first surface of the substrate that is substantially free of the coating layer has a characteristic length, L, that is a length of the portion of the edge of the coating layer in which a thickness of the coating layer tapers from a nominal coating layer thickness, t, to zero thickness, and L≦

100 μ

m.