Edge chamfering methods

Abstract

Processes of chamfering and/or beveling an edge of a glass or other substrate of arbitrary shape using lasers are described herein. Three general methods to produce chamfers on glass substrates are disclosed. The first method involves cutting the edge with the desired chamfer shape utilizing an ultra-short pulse laser. Treatment with the ultra-short laser may be optionally followed by a CO 2 laser for fully automated separation. The second method is based on thermal stress peeling of a sharp edge corner, and it has been demonstrated to work with different combination of an ultrashort pulse and/or CO 2 lasers. A third method relies on stresses induced by ion exchange to effect separation of material along a fault line produced by an ultra-short laser to form a chamfered edge of desired shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glass article including at least one chamfered edge having a plurality of defect lines extending at least 250 μm, the defect lines each having a diameter less than or equal to about 5μm. 
     
     
         2 . The glass article of  claim 1 , wherein the glass article comprises chemically strengthened glass. 
     
     
         3 . The glass article of  claim 1 , wherein the glass article comprises non-strengthened glass. 
     
     
         4 . The glass article of  claim 1 , wherein the chamfered edge has an Ra surface roughness less than about 0.5 μm. 
     
     
         5 . The glass article of  claim 1 , wherein the chamfered edge has subsurface damage up to a depth less than or equal to about 75 μm.