Techniques for laser ablation/scribing of coatings in pre- and post-laminated assemblies, and/or associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987902-B2
Application number	US-201715645387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2017
Priority date	Jul 10, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for laser ablating/scribing peripheral edges of a coating (e.g., a low-emissivity, mirror, or other coating) on a glass or other substrate in a pre- or post-laminated assembly, pre- or post-assembled insulated glass unit, and/or other product, in order to slow or prevent corrosion of the coating. For example, a 1064 nm or other wavelength laser may be used to scribe lines into the metal and/or metallic layer(s) in a low-emissivity or other coating provided in an already-laminated or already-assembled insulated glass unit or other product, e.g., around its periphery. The scribe lines decrease electron mobility from the center of the coating to the environment and, thus, slow and sometimes even prevent the onset of electrochemical corrosion. Associated products, methods, and kits relating to same also are contemplated herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a laminated product, the method comprising:
having an intermediate product, the intermediate product including first and second glass substrates that are laminated together with a polymer based laminating material, the first glass substrate having had a multilayer thin film low-emissivity coating formed thereon which is provided between the first and second glass substrates, the multilayer thin film coating including at least one metal-inclusive layer and a bottom dielectric layer directly on the first glass substrate; and
laser-scribing a line in the metal-inclusive layer of the laminated product via a laser source, the line creating at least a partial barrier to electron transport between first and second portions of the metal-inclusive layer that are provided on opposing sides of the laser-scribed line, wherein the laser-scribing is performed to dissolve a portion of the coating including the at least one metal-inclusive layer but excluding the bottom dielectric layer,
wherein said laser-scribing comprises operating the laser source at a power level and duty cycle sufficient to at least partially heat the polymer based laminating material so that at least some ablated material of the metal-inclusive layer from the laser-scribing is absorbed into the heated polymer based laminating material and so that at least some other ablated material of the metal-inclusive layer from the laser-scribing re-forms in a non-conductive manner.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laminating material is PVB, the first and second glass substrates are clear glass substrates, and the laser source is a 1064 nm laser source.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser source is a 1064 nm laser source.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the laser source at a wavelength at which the second glass substrate and the laminating material each are at least 90% transmissive.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating includes a layer comprising Ag.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the metal inclusive layer comprises Ni, Cr, and/or Ti and is formed on and in physical contact with the layer comprising Ag.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the layer comprising Ag is sandwiched between and in direct physical contact with first and second layers comprising Ni, Cr, and/or Ti.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the layer comprising Ag is formed on an in direct physical contact with a layer comprising zinc oxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the laser-scribing to completely dissolve the coating proximate to the line.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ablated material of the metal inclusive layer is at least partially dissolved into the bottom dielectric layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling heat generated by laser-scribing to avoid ablating the surface of substrate on which the coating is formed.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising interrupting the laser-scribing and cooling the intermediate product and/or allowing the intermediate product to cool during the interruption, in order to assist in controlling the generated heat.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling the duty cycle and/or operating power of the laser source in order to assist in controlling the generated heat.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the line has a width of at least 100-800 um.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the line is formed around a periphery of the intermediate product, the barrier being defined around the periphery of the intermediate article.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser-scribing is practiced in connection with multiple overlapping scans of the laser source.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser-scribing is performed to create a sub 10 pico-A electrical isolation barrier.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate is oriented closer to laser source than is first substrate during the laser-scribing.

19. A method of making a laminated product, the method comprising:
forming on a first glass substrate a multilayer thin film low-emissivity coating, the coating including at least one metal-inclusive layer and being susceptible to corrosion;
laminating the first glass substrate to a second glass substrate using a polymer based laminating material so that the coating is oriented between the first and second glass substrates; and
following the laminating, laser-scribing a border line in at least a metal inclusive layer of the coating around at least part of a periphery of the coating in making the laminated product, the laser-scribing at least partially ablating the metal inclusive layer of the coating proximate to the border line, but not ablating a bottom dielectric layer of the coating, and increasing electrochemical corrosion resistance of the coating internal to the border line,
wherein said laser-scribing comprises operating a laser source at a power level and duty cycle sufficient to at least partially heat the polymer based laminating material between the substrates so that some ablated material of the metal-inclusive layer from the laser-scribing is absorbed into the heated polymer based laminating material.

Assignees

• Guardian Glass Llc

Inventors

• Veerasamy Vijayen S

Classifications

• B32B17/10036

  comprising two outer glass sheets · CPC title

• B32B15/04

  comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} · CPC title

• E06B3/673

  Assembling the units (E06B3/677 takes precedence {; making hollow glass sheets or bricks C03B23/24}) · CPC title

• E06B3/66

  Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together {(reforming and uniting glass sheets by fusing C03B23/00; joining glass to glass or to other materials C03C27/00; laminated glass B32B17/10)} · CPC title

• C03C17/3652

  the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation · CPC title