Achieving stress- and defect-free and all-fused surface flexible glass using laser fusion cutting technology

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K14157
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 18020:Manufacturing and production engineering-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Itoh Sho 千葉大学, 大学院工学研究院, 特任助教 (70743441)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: レーザ溶断 / フレキシブルガラス / 残留応力 / 曲げ強度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study was aimed at establishing a laser fusing technique for flexible glass. The study showed that cutting flexible glass using a CO2 laser and controlling the edge shape was possible. The study demonstrated that overlapping irradiation of multiple laser beams could reduce thermal residual stress, and the mechanism was discussed. The two-point bending strengths of approximately 600 MPa and 300 MPa were achieved on the front and back surfaces, respectively (average values). It was also shown that flexible glass can be cut using a CO laser with a different wavelength and longer optical penetration lengths than a CO2 laser. Monitoring during processing clarified the formation mechanism of voids behaving as edge defects.

Free Research Field

レーザ加工，ガラス加工

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的意義としては，ガラスのレーザ溶断における端面形状の微細制御メカニズムや，熱歪みの制御メカニズムを解明できたことや，また加工点における局所溶融現象を明らかにできたことにある．
また社会的意義としては，（１）フレキシブルガラスはフリーフォームディスプレイ，フレキシブルOLED照明，半導体部品（インターポーザなど），建築部材やソーラーパネルのカバー部材など様々な応用が期待され，本切断方法により応用を促進に寄与できる．（２）また，新切断技術を提案することにより，従来のケミカルエッチングによる端面仕上げ工程を省くことも可能となる．