# US 8,539,794 B2 · Strengthened glass substrate sheets and methods for fabricating glass panels from glass substrate sheets

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,539,794 B2
- Document ID: US8539794B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/018,904
- Filed: 2011-02-01
- Published: 2012-08-02
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2011-02-01
- Assignees: Corning Incorporated
- Applicants: Ivan A Cornejo; Sinue Gomez; Lisa Anne Moore; Sergio Tsuda
- Inventors: Ivan A Cornejo; Sinue Gomez; Lisa Anne Moore; Sergio Tsuda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539794B2

## CPC

- B28D 1/00: Working stone or stone-like materials, e.g. brick, concrete {or glass}, not provided for elsewhere; Machines, devices, tools therefor (fine working of gems, jewels, crystals B28D5/00; working by grinding or polishing B24; devices or means for dressing or conditioning abrasive surfaces B24B53/00)
- B23K 26/0624: {using ultrashort pulses, i.e. pulses of 1 ns or less}
- B23K 26/382: by boring
- B23K 26/40: taking account of the properties of the material involved
- C03C 3/083: containing aluminium oxide or an iron compound
- C03C 3/091: containing aluminium
- C03C 15/02: for making a smooth surface
- C03C 21/002: {to perform ion-exchange between alkali ions (C03C21/005 takes precedence)}
- G02F 1/133351: {Manufacturing of individual cells out of a plurality of cells, e.g. by dicing}
- B23K 2103/50: {Inorganic materials other than metals or composite materials}
- Y10T 428/15: Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
- B28D: WORKING STONE OR STONE-LIKE MATERIALS
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- C03C: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Strengthened glass substrate sheets and methods of fabricating glass panels from glass substrate sheets are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming at least one series of holes through a thickness of the glass substrate sheet, wherein the at least one series of holes defines a perimeter of the glass panel to be separated from the glass substrate sheet. The method further includes strengthening the glass substrate sheet by a strengthening process, and separating the glass panel from the glass substrate sheet along the at least one series of holes. At least a portion of one or more edges of the glass panel has an associated edge compressive layer. In another embodiment, a strengthened glass substrate sheet includes at least one series of holes that defines a perimeter of one or more glass panels to be separated from the strengthened glass substrate sheet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating a glass panel haying edges defined by a perimeter from a glass substrate sheet of defined thickness, the method comprising:
forming at least one series of holes through the thickness of the glass substrate sheet, wherein the at least one series of holes are located along and define at least a portion of the perimeter of the glass panel to be separated from the glass substrate sheet;
strengthening the glass substrate sheet by an ion-exchange strengthening process; and
separating the glass panel from the glass substrate sheet along the perimeter, wherein at least a portion of one or more edges of the glass panel comprise an edge compressive layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one series of holes defines the perimeter of a plurality of strengthened glass panels to be separated from the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the ion exchange strengthening process creates a first strengthened surface layer of a first surface of the glass substrate sheet and a second strengthened surface layer of a second surface of the glass substrate sheet, the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from the first surface and the second surface to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; and
the ion exchange strengthening process creates the edge compressive layer at each individual hole of the at least one series of holes, the edge compressive layer positioned between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer and radially extending from a wall of each individual hole to a depth of layer prior to separation of the glass panel from the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying a protective coating to a surface of the glass substrate sheet prior to forming the at least one series of holes; and removing the protective coating from the surface of the glass substrate sheet after forming the at least one series of holes and prior to strengthening the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the glass substrate sheet to an etching solution after forming the at least one series of holes and prior to separating the glass panel from the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
individual holes of the at least one series of holes comprise a diameter within a range of about 50 μm to about 1 mm; and
a spacing between adjacent individual holes of the at least one series of holes is about 100 μm to about 1 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an edge-finishing material to at least one edge of the glass panel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the edge-finishing material comprises a polymeric material, an electrically-conductive material, or a frit material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one series of holes is formed by a laser drilling process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the laser drilling process comprises focusing a pulsed laser beam having about 15 ps pulses onto a surface of the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one series of holes is formed by a diamond drilling process.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one series of holes is formed by:
applying a first mask to a first surface of the glass substrate sheet and applying a second mask to a second surface of the glass substrate sheet, the first mask and the second mask having a pattern corresponding to the at least one series of holes;
subjecting the first mask, the second mask, and the glass substrate sheet to an etching solution until the at least one series of holes are formed;
removing the first mask, the second mask, and the glass substrate sheet from the etching solution; and
removing the first mask from the first surface of the glass substrate sheet and the second mask from the second surface of the glass substrate sheet.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the glass panel has a horizontal bend strength within a range of about 200 MPa to about 1000 MPa, and a vertical bend strength within a range of about 100 MPa to about 600 MPa.

### Claim 14

A method of fabricating a strengthened glass touch panel having edges defined by a perimeter from a glass substrate sheet of defined thickness, the method comprising:
forming at least one series of holes through the thickness of the glass substrate sheet, wherein the at least one series of holes are located along and define at least a portion of the perimeter of the strengthened glass touch panel to be separated from the glass substrate sheet;
strengthening the glass substrate sheet by an ion-exchange strengthening process;
applying a film layer to a surface of the glass substrate sheet after the ion-exchange strengthening process to form a strengthened glass touch panel, the film layer configured to provide touch-screen functionality to the strengthened glass touch panel;
separating the strengthened glass touch panel from the glass substrate sheet along the perimeter, wherein at least a portion of one or more edges of the strengthened glass touch panel comprises an edge compressive layer, and the strengthened glass touch panel has a horizontal bend strength within a range of about 200 MPa to about 1000 MPa, and a vertical bend strength within a range of about 100 MPa to about 600 MPa; and
applying an edge-finishing material to at least one edge of the strengthened glass touch panel.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein:
the at least one edge comprises a scalloped geometry having a plurality of recesses;
the edge-finishing material comprises an electrically-conductive material;
the electrically-conductive material is located within the plurality of recesses, thereby forming one or more electrical contacts along the at least one edge within the plurality of recesses; and
the film layer is electrically coupled to the one or more electrical contacts.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein:
the ion-exchange strengthening process creates a first strengthened surface layer of a first surface of the glass substrate sheet and a second strengthened surface layer of a second surface of the glass substrate sheet, the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from the first surface and the second surface to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress; and
the ion-exchange strengthening process creates the edge compressive layer at each individual hole of the at least one series of holes, the edge compressive layer positioned between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer and radially extending from a wall of each individual hole to a depth of layer prior to separation of the strengthened glass touch panel from the glass substrate sheet.