Abstract

Very fine closed form structures can be scribed via filamentation in the transparent substrate very quickly, the modified zone can be etched via dry or wet chemical etching to release the closed form. A metal layer engages the transparent substrate and is covered with photoresist. A portion of the photoresist and a portion of the metal are removed simultaneously with the creation of a filament through the transparent substrate. The photoresist protects the portion of the metal layer that is not removed. The desired closed form can be released by weakening the cut region using dry or wet chemical etching to remove the desired part.

IPC Classes  ?

• B23K 26/00 - Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for forming continuous laser filaments in transparent materials. A burst of ultrafast laser pulses is focused such that a beam waist is formed external to the material being processed without forming an external plasma channel, while a sufficient energy density is formed within an extended region within the material to support the formation of a continuous filament, without causing optical breakdown within the material. Filaments formed according to this method may exhibit lengths exceeding 10 mm. In some embodiments, an aberrated optical focusing element is employed to produce an external beam waist while producing distributed focusing of the incident beam within the material. Various systems are described that facilitate the formation of filament arrays within transparent substrates for cleaving/singulation and/or marking. Optical monitoring of the filaments may be employed to provide feedback to facilitate active control of the process.

IPC Classes  ?

• B23K 26/00 - Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
• B23K 26/50 - Working by transmitting the laser beam through or within the workpiece
• H01L 21/02 - Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
• H01L 21/78 - Manufacture or treatment of devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components or integrated circuits formed in, or on, a common substrate with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for forming continuous laser filaments in transparent materials. A burst of ultrafast laser pulses is focused such that a beam waist is formed external to the material being processed without forming an external plasma channel, while a sufficient energy density is formed within an extended region within the material to support the formation of a continuous filament, without causing optical breakdown within the material. Filaments formed according to this method may exhibit lengths exceeding up to 10 mm. In some embodiments, an aberrated optical focusing element is employed to produce an external beam waist while producing distributed focusing of the incident beam within the material. Various systems are described that facilitate the formation of filament arrays within transparent substrates for cleaving/singulation and/or marking. Optical monitoring of the filaments may be employed to provide feedback to facilitate active control of the process.

IPC Classes  ?

• B23K 26/00 - Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
• B23K 26/50 - Working by transmitting the laser beam through or within the workpiece
• H01L 21/02 - Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
• H01L 21/78 - Manufacture or treatment of devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components or integrated circuits formed in, or on, a common substrate with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for the processing of orifices in materials by laser filamentation that utilizes an optical configuration that focuses the incident laser light beam in a distributed manner along the longitudinal beam axis. This distributed focusing method enables the formation of filaments over distances, and the laser and focusing parameters are adjusted to determine the filament propagation and termination points so as to develop a single/double end stopped orifice, or a through orifice. Selected transparent substrates from a stacked or nested configuration may have orifices formed therein/therethrough without affecting the adjacent substrate. These distributed focusing methods support the formation filaments with lengths well beyond ten millimeters in borosilicate glass and similar brittle materials and semiconductors.

IPC Classes  ?

• B23K 26/38 - Removing material by boring or cutting

Abstract

A method is provided for the internal processing of a transparent substrate in preparation for a cleaving step. The substrate is irradiated with a focused laser beam that is comprised of pulses having an energy and pulse duration selected to produce a filament within the substrate. The substrate is translated relative to the laser beam to irradiate the substrate and produce an additional filament at one or more additional locations. The resulting filaments form an array defining an internally scribed path for cleaving said substrate. Laser beam parameters may be varied to adjust the filament length and position, and to optionally introduce V-channels or grooves, rendering bevels to the laser-cleaved edges. Preferably, the laser pulses are delivered in a burst train for lowering the energy threshold for filament formation, increasing the filament length, thermally annealing of the filament modification zone to minimize collateral damage, improving process reproducibility, and increasing the processing speed compared with the use of low repetition rate lasers.

IPC Classes  ?

• B23K 26/08 - Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
• B23K 26/402 - Removing material taking account of the properties of the material involved involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators
• B23K 26/38 - Removing material by boring or cutting