Method of processing photosensitive glass with a pulsed laser to form grooves

A method of producing a groove to a desired depth in a photosensitive glass article comprising:

• determining the desired depth of a groove in a photosensitive glass article;
• providing a pulsed laser emitting radiation, including radiation to which the photosensitive glass article is sensitive, and which emits energy pulses with each pulse having an intensity such that the total number of pulses determines a total energy dosage;
• selecting the intensity of each energy pulse and the total energy dosage that will produce an exposed groove portion in said photosensitive glass article which, when subsequently etched in the following etching step, will have a depth equal to said desired depth of groove;
• exposing said photosensitive glass article with said pulsed laser radiation at said selected intensity of energy pulses and total energy dosage to produce said exposed groove portion in said photosensitive glass article;
• thermally developing said photosensitive glass article to crystallize said exposed groove portion;
• and
• etching said crystallized portion to obtain said groove with said desired depth.

A method of making a groove in a photosensitive glass article used for the passage of ink in an ink jet printer head comprising the steps of:

• providing a photosensitive glass article to be used as part of said ink jet printer head;
• exposing said photosensitive glass article to a pulsed laser emitting radiation, including radiation to which said photosensitive glass article is sensitive such that said radiation forms an exposed groove pattern in said photosensitive glass article;
• thermally developing said exposed photosensitive glass article to crystallize said exposed groove pattern;
• etching said crystallized groove pattern to thereby form a groove in said photosensitive glass article;
• said pulsed laser emitting energy pulses with each pulse having an intensity such that a total number of energy pulses determine a total energy dosage;
• and
• controlling the depth of said groove by controlling the intensity of each of said energy pulses and controlling said total energy dosage.

A method of forming grooves of different depths in a photosensitive glass article comprising:

• a first exposing step of exposing one section of a photosensitive glass article to radiation of a pulse laser such that said radiation forms a first exposed groove pattern in said photosensitive glass article;
• a second exposing step of exposing another section of said photosensitive glass article to radiation of said pulsed laser such that said latter radiation forms a second exposed groove pattern in said photosensitive glass article;
• thermally developing simultaneously said first and second groove patterns in said photosensitive glass to crystallize said first and second groove patterns;
• etching substantially simultaneously said crystallized first and second groove patterns to thereby form first and second grooves respectively in said photosensitive glass article;
• said pulsed laser emitting energy pulses with each pulse showing an intensity such that a total number of energy pulses determine a total energy dosage;
• and
• controlling the depth of said first and second groove to obtain a different depth of groove for each of said first and second grooves by controlling the intensity of each of said energy pulses and controlling the total energy dosage in each of said first and second exposing steps.

A method of forming grooves on opposite sides of a photosensitive glass article in which said article has an observe side and a reverse side comprising:

• a first exposing step of exposing a section of the obverse side of a photosensitive glass article to radiation of a pulse laser to form a first exposed groove pattern in said obverse side of said photosensitive glass article;
• a second exposing step of exposing a section of the reverse side of said photosensitive glass article to radiation of said pulsed laser to form a second exposed groove pattern in said reverse side of said photosensitive glass article;
• thermally developing simultaneously said first and second exposed groove patterns in said photosensitive glass article to crystallize said first and second exposed groove patterns;
• etching substantially simultaneously said crystallized first and second exposed groove patterns to thereby form first and second grooves respectively in said obverse and reverse sides of said photosensitive glass article;
• said pulsed laser emitting energy pulses with each pulse having an intensity such that a total number of energy pulses determine a total energy dosage;
• and
• controlling the depth of said first and second grooves by controlling the intensity of each of said energy pulses and controlling the total energy dosage in each of said first and second exposing steps.