JP5991860B2 - Glass substrate processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for processing a glass substrate, and more particularly to a method for processing a glass substrate for punching a tempered glass having a compressive stress on the surface and a tensile stress inside the glass substrate along a closed line to be cut.

As a technique for dividing a glass substrate with a laser, there is a method in which a glass substrate is irradiated with a CO ₂ laser to cause thermal stress to divide the glass substrate. Even when the tempered glass whose surface is strengthened is divided, it is possible to divide by using such a conventional technique.

  However, if the degree of strengthening of the surface of the glass substrate is increased, the conventional technology as described above cannot be divided. Therefore, as a method for dividing high-strength glass, a method for dividing as shown in Patent Document 1 is provided.

  In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, first, a first damage line as a modified layer is formed in an internal region where a reinforcing layer is not formed on a glass substrate. Similarly, the second damage line is formed in a region shallower than the first damage line in the inner region where the reinforcing layer is not formed. By forming these damage lines, cracks develop along the planned dividing line, and the glass substrate is divided. In addition, it is described that a mechanical force is applied by pressing both sides of the damage line by mechanical scribe forming a groove by a cutter or by manual or mechanical operation at the time of the division.

WO2010 / 096359A1 (paragraphs 0024, 0026, 0027, 0031, 0032, etc.)

  The dividing method described in Patent Document 1 is based on the premise that the glass substrate is divided mainly along a straight line for dividing. Therefore, such a cutting method is applied to a process of dividing and removing a single piece of a closed shape such as a rectangle or a circle from the glass substrate of the base material (hereinafter, such a process is referred to as a “punch process”). Then, the processing quality decreases. Specifically, there is a problem that a crack progresses outward from a portion scanned with a laser and destroys the surroundings. In particular, in the corner portion where the scanning direction changes, a large number of cracks branch off from the line to be divided, and the other surrounding portions cannot be used as a product.

  In the situation as described above, there is a problem that not only the yield is bad, but also the strength of the glass substrate obtained after the division is lowered.

  An object of the present invention is to suppress cracks that develop to the periphery and to prevent a decrease in strength in the punching process of high-strength glass.

  The processing method of the glass substrate which concerns on 1st invention is a method for punching the tempered glass which has a compressive stress on the surface and has a tensile stress inside along the closed parting plan line, Comprising: Is included.

  First pre-irradiation step: The laser is condensed at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, and the laser is scanned along the line to be cut, thereby forming a first processing mark inside the substrate.

  Second pre-irradiation step: The laser is focused at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, and the laser is scanned on the outer peripheral side of the division planned line so as to surround the planned division line. Form processing marks.

Main irradiation step: After the second preliminary irradiation step, the laser is condensed at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, the laser is scanned along the line to be cut, and from the first processing trace toward the front surface or the back surface of the substrate. Let the cracks grow.

  In this method, first, a first processing mark is formed along the planned cutting line inside the substrate. Next, another second processing mark is formed on the outer peripheral side of the first processing mark so as to surround the first processing mark. As described above, after processing marks are formed along the planned dividing line and on the outer periphery side of the planned dividing line, the laser is scanned again along the planned dividing line. By this laser irradiation and scanning, a crack progresses from the first processing mark to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate, and further, the crack progresses along the line to be cut. At this time, since the processing marks are formed in the second preliminary irradiation step on the outer peripheral side of the planned dividing line, it is possible to prevent the crack from branching from the planned dividing line and progressing outside the planned dividing line.

  Here, since the progress of cracks deviating from the planned dividing line is suppressed, damage to the surrounding glass substrate can be suppressed when a single piece is punched from the base glass substrate, and the yield is improved. Moreover, the fall of the intensity | strength of the extracted glass substrate can be suppressed for the same reason.

  The glass substrate processing method according to the second invention is the method of the first invention, wherein the laser scanning in the first preliminary irradiation step and the laser scanning in the second preliminary irradiation step are performed continuously.

  Here, the preliminary irradiation step can be easily performed in a short time.

  In the glass substrate processing method according to the third aspect of the invention, the laser condensing position in the first preliminary irradiation step and the second preliminary irradiation step is the same depth position.

  Here, as in the second invention, the preliminary irradiation step can be easily performed in a short time.

  The glass substrate processing method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the method for processing a glass substrate according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the laser beam is condensed at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate to Furthermore, a laser beam is scanned on the outer peripheral side, and a third preliminary irradiation step for forming a third processed mark on the outer peripheral side of the second processed mark is further included.

  Here, since the processing traces are further doubled on the outer peripheral side of the processing traces of the planned cutting line, the cutting becomes easier.

  The glass substrate processing method according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the method of the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the laser scanning from the first preliminary irradiation step to the third preliminary irradiation step is continuously performed.

  Here, as in the second invention, the preliminary irradiation step can be easily performed in a short time.

  The glass substrate processing method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the method of the fifth aspect, wherein the laser condensing position in the first preliminary irradiation step to the third preliminary irradiation step is the same depth position.

  Here, as in the second invention, the preliminary irradiation step can be easily performed in a short time.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the glass substrate processing method according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the laser condensing position in the main irradiation step is greater than the laser condensing position in the first preliminary irradiation step. It is a position close to the front or back surface.

  Here, in the main irradiation step, since the laser is focused and scanned at a position closer to the substrate than the first processing mark, the crack easily reaches the substrate surface. Therefore, the dividing process after the main irradiation process is facilitated.

  As described above, in the present invention, when punching a tempered glass having a tempered layer having a compressive stress on its surface, cracks that develop to the periphery can be suppressed, and a decrease in strength can be suppressed.

The typical sectional view of tempered glass to which the parting method by one embodiment of the present invention is applied. The figure which shows the laser scanning line of the processing method by one Embodiment of this invention. The photograph which shows the result (before parting) of the experiment 1 of the processing method by one Embodiment of this invention. The photograph which shows the glass substrate after this irradiation. The photograph of the glass substrate which isolate | separated and took out the board | substrate of the circumference | surroundings of the dividing line L0. The photograph which shows the result (whole) of the comparative experiment divided by the conventional processing method.

[Glass substrate]
FIG. 1 shows an example of a cross-sectional configuration of a glass substrate as a part to be divided. This glass substrate is a tempered glass having a compressive stress on the surface and a tensile stress inside. Specifically, in the vicinity of the front and back surfaces, the closer to the front and back surfaces, the greater the compressive stress (CS). And inside the board | substrate which reaches predetermined depth from the surface and the back surface, it has a tensile stress (CT) conversely. In FIG. 1, “DOL” indicates the depth of the reinforcing layer having compressive stress on the substrate surface.

[Division method]
In the case where the tempered glass as described above (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “substrate”) is cut along a closed cut line, the following steps are executed. Here, a case where a rectangular single-piece glass substrate with four corners having an R shape is punched from one base glass substrate will be described as an example.

<Preliminary irradiation process>
As shown in FIG. 2, the laser is focused on a region having a tensile stress inside the substrate, and the laser is scanned along the planned dividing line L0, and the dividing line L0 is doubled on the outer periphery of the dividing line L0. The laser is scanned so as to enclose. Hereinafter, the outer peripheral line of the planned dividing line L0 is referred to as a first outer peripheral line L1, and the further outer peripheral line of the first outer peripheral line L1 is referred to as a second outer peripheral line L2. By the laser scanning as described above, first, second, and third processing marks are formed inside the substrate along the division line L0 and the first and second outer peripheral lines L1 and L2 on the outer periphery thereof. Here, the processing mark is a region where the substrate is once softened or melted by the laser and solidified again.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the laser irradiation along the dividing line L0 and the laser irradiation along the first and second outer peripheral lines L1 and L2 on the outer peripheral side are performed in a continuous process, that is, in a spiral shape. Scanning. Therefore, the laser irradiation along the first outer peripheral line L1 is scanned so as to surround all of the planned dividing lines L0, but the laser irradiation along the second outer peripheral line L2 is performed on only three of the four sides. Scanned to surround.

<Main irradiation process>
After the pre-irradiation step as described above, the laser is condensed at a position on the surface side from the laser condensing position in the pre-irradiation step, and the laser is scanned along the planned dividing line L0. The laser irradiation in this case may be one round scan along the division planned line L0, but it is preferable to perform two round scans to ensure division.

  By performing the above process, the outside of the first and second outer peripheral lines L1 and L2 and the outside of the planned dividing line L0 are divided, and the region inside the planned dividing line L0 can be extracted. .

Experimental example

  The experimental results to which the present invention is applied are shown below. The blank shape is a rectangle with a side of 30 mm and four corners connected by a curve with a radius of 5 mm. The interval between the lines is 1 mm.

[Experiment 1]
In Experiment 1, the following method was performed on a highly tempered glass having a thickness of 1.1 mm (see FIG. 1 for the cross-sectional configuration). The laser repetition frequency is 3 MHz in all the following experiments.

<Preliminary irradiation>
The laser was continuously scanned along each scanning line L0, L1, L2 shown in FIG. The number of scans is one. The laser irradiation conditions are the same for each line and are as follows.

Laser power: 6W
Scanning speed: 300mm / s
Processing depth: 368μm
The state of the glass substrate when the above preliminary irradiation is performed is shown in FIG. Note that a transparent tape is attached to the substrate in order to prevent the substrate from being damaged during handling of the substrate for photographing.

<Main irradiation>
The laser was scanned twice (two rounds) along the planned cutting line L0 shown in FIG. The laser irradiation conditions are as follows for both times.

Laser power: 6W
Scanning speed: 300mm / s
Processing depth: 145μm
As a result of the main irradiation described above, no cracks were generated that branched from the parting planned line to the outer peripheral side. FIG. 4A shows the glass substrate after the main irradiation, and FIG. 4B shows the glass substrate taken out by separating the substrate around the planned dividing line L0.

[Experiment 2]
In Experiment 2, the following method was performed on highly tempered glass having a thickness of 0.7 mm (see FIG. 1 for the cross-sectional configuration). Note that the repetition frequency of the laser is 3 MHz in all the following experiments as described above.

<Preliminary irradiation>
The laser was continuously scanned along each scanning line L0, L1, L2 shown in FIG. The number of scans is one. The laser irradiation conditions are the same for each line and are as follows.

Laser power: 6W
Scanning speed: 300mm / s
Processing depth: 399μm
<Main irradiation>
The laser was scanned twice (two rounds) along the planned cutting line L0 shown in FIG. The laser irradiation conditions are as follows for both times.

Laser power: 6W
Scanning speed: 300mm / s
Processing depth: 163μm
As a result of the main irradiation described above, as in Experiment 1 (see FIG. 4A), no cracks were generated that branched off from the planned dividing line to the outer peripheral side.

[Comparative experiment example]
The same punching shape as in Experiments 1 and 2 was punched by the following conventional method. The object to be divided is a highly tempered glass having a thickness of 1.1 mm. The repetition frequency of the laser is 1 MHz.

  In the conventional processing method described above, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of cracks progressed from the planned dividing line to the outer peripheral side.

[Summary of experimental results]
Preliminary irradiation irradiates the laser along at least one outer peripheral line on the outer periphery side of the planned dividing line, and forms a processing mark inside the substrate, so that cracks propagate from the planned dividing line to the outer peripheral side during the main irradiation. Can be suppressed. The reason why it is possible to suppress the progress of cracks from the planned cutting line to the outer periphery by forming the processing trace on the outer peripheral line is not clear, but the substrate is once melted when forming the processing trace, so the processing trace It is considered that the tensile stress inside the substrate around the substrate was relaxed, and the crack did not extend on the outer peripheral side.

  The outer peripheral line may be at least single and may form a double or more outer peripheral line. In addition, the main irradiation may be performed by laser scanning once along the line to be divided, but in order to make the division more reliable, laser scanning twice is preferable.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes or modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  (A) The punched shape is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a closed shape such as a circular shape or a star shape is punched.

  (B) The number of preliminary irradiations and the number of main irradiations are not limited to the above embodiment. In Experiments 1 and 2, the processing depth (laser condensing position) was changed between the preliminary irradiation step and the main irradiation step, but the same processing depth may be used in both steps.

  (C) The laser scanning method in the preliminary irradiation step is not limited to a spiral shape. You may implement by a separate process, without making a parting line and an outer periphery line continue.

(D) The laser condensing position (processing depth) in the main irradiation step is a position closer to the substrate surface than the condensing position (processing depth) in the preliminary irradiation in the embodiment, but instead, It is good also as making a crack progress from the 1st process trace toward the back surface of a board | substrate as a position near the back surface of a board | substrate rather than the condensing position (processing depth) in preliminary irradiation.

Claims (7)

A glass substrate processing method for punching a glass having a compressive stress on its surface and a tensile stress inside, along a closed planned cutting line,
First, the laser is focused at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate and scanned along the line to be cut, thereby forming a first processing mark in a state where the substrate is once softened or melted and solidified again . A preliminary irradiation step;
A laser is condensed at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, and the laser is scanned on the outer peripheral side of the planned cutting line so as to surround the planned cutting line, and the substrate is once softened on the outer peripheral side of the first processing mark. A second preliminary irradiation step of forming a second processing mark in a melted and solidified state ;
After the second preliminary irradiation step, the laser is focused at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, the laser is scanned along the planned dividing line, and a crack is generated from the first processing trace toward the front surface or the back surface of the substrate. The main irradiation process to develop
A processing method of a glass substrate including:   The glass substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the laser scanning in the first preliminary irradiation step and the laser scanning in the second preliminary irradiation step are continuously performed.   The glass substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the laser condensing position in the first pre-irradiation step and the second pre-irradiation step is the same depth position.   The laser beam is condensed at a predetermined depth position inside the substrate, the laser is further scanned on the outer peripheral side of the scanning line in the second preliminary irradiation step, and a third processing mark is formed on the outer peripheral side of the second processing mark. The glass substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a third preliminary irradiation step.   The glass substrate processing method according to claim 4, wherein the laser scanning from the first preliminary irradiation step to the third preliminary irradiation step is continuously performed.   The glass substrate processing method according to claim 5, wherein the laser condensing position in the first preliminary irradiation step to the third preliminary irradiation step is the same depth position.   The condensing position of the laser in the main irradiation step is a position closer to the front surface or back surface of the substrate than the condensing position of the laser in the first preliminary irradiation step. Processing method.