Method and apparatus for processing glass elements

A method for processing glass elements, the method comprising:

• hot forming a glass element by a hot forming process;
• introducing filamentary flaws into a surface of the glass element with a laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser that is guided to the surface of the glass element through a central channel of a processing head,
• wherein the filamentary flaws are introduced along a predetermined course along the surface to form a perforation line of spaced-apart filamentary flaws during or immediately after the hot forming process and while the glass element is at a temperature from the hot forming process of at least 100° C.;
• and
• guiding a cooling jet from a peripheral channel of the processing head into the central channel to apply cooling to the glass element with the cooling jet simultaneously with the introducing filamentary flaws so that a point of impingement of the laser beam lies in the cooling jet and is surrounded by a cooling liquid of the cooling jet to produce a temperature gradient of at least 50° C. per mm at the surface of the glass element along the predetermined course of the perforation line to induce a mechanical stress along the perforation line that reduces a breaking force required for parting the glass element at the perforation line.