US 12,637,388 B2 · Glass-ceramic articles with high dynamic range transmittance via laser bleaching

Abstract

An article includes a glass ceramic that has an amorphous silicate glass phase and a crystalline phase including a species of MxWO3 with 0<x<1 and M an intercalated dopant cation. The article further includes an aperture configured to be formed via local heating of a portion of the glass ceramic to a temperature that is above the softening point of the glass ceramic. The aperture comprises constituents of the silicate glass phase and the crystalline phase but is substantially free of the species of MxWO3. A ratio of a transmittance of the aperture to a transmittance of the glass ceramic not subject to the local heating is at least 6,000 with transmittance measured in %/mm at wavelengths from 500 nm to 1100 nm.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of bleaching a glass-ceramic article, comprising:

irradiating a glass-ceramic article with a beam from a laser, the glass-ceramic article comprising a bulk having an amorphous silicate glass phase and a crystalline phase, the irradiating a glass-ceramic article comprising directing the beam of the laser into a thickness of the glass-ceramic article to form an aperture in the bulk, the beam comprising a wavelength configured to couple into respective absorption bands of the crystalline phase and/or of other constituents of the bulk,
wherein a ratio between a transmittance of the aperture and a transmittance of the bulk is at least 7,000 at first wavelengths from 500 nm to 1100 nm;
and
wherein the wavelength of the beam of the laser is within a range of 2 μm and 3 um.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Glass-ceramic articles with high dynamic range transmittance via laser bleaching

Life of this patent

Glass-ceramic articles with high dynamic range transmittance via laser bleaching

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13