Method for rapid laser drilling of holes in glass and products made therefrom

A method of forming holes in a substantially transparent material comprising:

• focusing a pulsed laser beam into a laser beam focal line oriented along the beam propagation direction and directed into the material, the laser beam focal line generating an induced absorption within the material, the induced absorption producing a damage track along the laser beam focal line within the material, wherein:
• the laser beam focal line is formed by a series of focal points and comprises a length that extends from a first end focal point to a second end focal point;
• the first end focal point and the second end focal point each comprise an intensity that is one half the maximum intensity of the laser beam focal line;
• the pulsed laser beam is focused by a focusing lens;
• and
• the pulsed laser beam irradiates the focusing lens in the form of an annulus;
• translating the material and the laser beam relative to each other, thereby forming a plurality of damage tracks;
• and
• etching the material in an acid solution to produce through-holes of a diameter greater than 1 micron by enlarging the damage tracks in the material.