WO2022132437A1

WO2022132437A1 - Methods of producing glass articles with optical films

Info

Publication number: WO2022132437A1
Application number: PCT/US2021/061400
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sandra HOEHM; Yen-Kai Huang; Ralf Joachim Terbrueggen; Chih-Hsiang Yang
Original assignee: Corning Incorporated
Priority date: 2020-12-18
Filing date: 2021-12-01
Publication date: 2022-06-23
Also published as: TW202242506A

Abstract

A glass article including a glass substrate with outer edges defining an outer profile and an optical film layer bonded to the glass substrate at a peripheral bonding zone located inward of the outer edges of the glass substrate. The glass article can be produced by directing laser energy at the glass article to simultaneously trim the optical film layer to a predetermined size while bonding the optical film layer to the glass substrate.

Description

METHODS OF PRODUCING GLASS ARTICLES WITH OPTICAL FILMS

PRIORITY CLAIM AND CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/127594 filed on December 18, 2020, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

[0002] The disclosure relates to methods of producing glass articles with optical films.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Glass articles or other components made of thin glass substrates are components of various products. One application for glass articles is in the production of electronic display products such as thin film transistor liquid-crystal displays (TFT-LCD). Such displays often include a diffuser plate in the backlight unit that is used to distribute light in the display screen. Consumer preferences are driving electronic display units to have higher resolution, brighter screens and thinner profiles.

[0004] Existing designs for diffuser plates in backlight units of electronic displays suffer from many drawbacks. The drawbacks of existing designs lead to premature failure, inconsistent light distribution in the display screen and undesirable edge conditions. Existing designs can be susceptible to thermal, humidity and other environmental changes that may occur in during use of the electronic display. Existing designs also suffer from dimensional inconsistency. Furthermore, the cost to produce acceptable diffuser plates to overcome one or more of the drawbacks described above can be too expensive to implement in many products despite the consumer demand for such products. There exists a need, therefore, for improved methods of producing glass articles with optical layers that may be used in diffuser plates for electronic displays to overcome these drawbacks with existing designs.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present disclosure provides glass articles produced using a multi-layer integrated process that allows one or more optical films to be positioned on a surface of the glass substrate. The methods of present disclosure also allow the glass substrate and the optical film layer to be cut to a predetermined size and/or configuration while securing the optical film to the glass substrate in a single processing step. This process can allow for precise glass articles to be created with a layered structure that is dimensionally superior and with significantly less defects than that possible using existing methods. These superior qualities of the glass articles produced using the methods of the present disclosure are particularly apparent at the edges of the glass article. Furthermore, the methods of the present disclosure are more efficient and less costly than existing methods because the glass substrate can be cut to a predetermined size while also securing one or more optical film layers relative to the glass substrate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the present disclosure describes a glass article that includes a glass substrate and an optical film layer. The optical film layer can be bonded to the glass substrate at a peripheral bonding zone located inward of the outer edges of the glass substrate.

[0007] In one aspect, the peripheral bonding zone can have a width of less than about 1 mm.

[0008] In another aspect, a center portion of the optical film layer that is located inward of the bonding zone is not bonded to the glass substrate.

[0009] In another aspect, the optical film layer can include a first optical film and a second optical film. [0010] In another aspect, the first optical film can be positioned between the glass substrate and the second optical film. The peripheral bonding zone can bond the first optical film to the glass substrate and a second peripheral bonding zone can bond the second optical film to the first optical film.

[0011] In another aspect, the glass substrate can be a glass material having a thickness in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

[0012] In another aspect, the optical film layer can comprise a plurality of optical films and can have a thickness in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

[0013] In another aspect, the optical film layer includes at least three optical films.

[0014] In another aspect, the optical film layer includes a quantum dot film, a prism film and a brightness enhancement film.

[0015] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of producing a glass article. The method can include applying an optical film layer to a glass substrate to define a multi-layered optical component. The method can also include trimming the topical layer to a predetermined size and bonding the trimmed optical film layer to the glass substrate, wherein the steps of trimming and bonding are performed simultaneously by directing laser energy at the multi-layered component.

[0016] In one aspect, the method can further include cutting the glass substrate to the predetermined size.

[0017] In another aspect, the steps of trimming and bonding the optical film layer is performed using a first laser and the step of cutting the glass substrate is performed using a second laser. The first laser and the second laser can be directed at the multi-layered component in a common laser cutting station. [0018] In another aspect, the steps of trimming and bonding the optical film layer creates a bonding zone around a periphery of the optical film layer that prevents movement of the optical film layer relative to the glass substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not necessarily to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Like reference numerals denote like features throughout the specification and drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an example glass article of the present disclosure in use as a diffuser plate in a Zero Border Design (ZBD) electronic display.

[0021] FIG. 2A is an illustration of a plastic diffuser plate used in a Zero Border Design (ZBD) electronic display showing an undesirable edge condition.

[0022] FIG. 2B is an illustration of an example glass article of the present disclosure in a diffuser plate in a Zero Border Design (ZBD) electronic display showing an improved edge condition over the plastic diffuser plate of FIG. 2A.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing deformation that may occur in diffuser plates used in Zero Border Design (ZBD) electronic displays.

[0024] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a side view of an example glass article that can be produced using the methods of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 5A is a photograph showing a magnified cross-section of an example glass article with multiple optical films positioned on top of a glass substrate. [0026] FIG. 5B is a photograph showing a magnified cross-section of the optical film layer of the glass article of FIG. 5A.

[0027] FIG. 6A is a flow chart illustrating an example method of producing glass articles with optical film layers using a mechanical process.

[0028] FIG. 6B is a flow chart illustrating an example method of producing glass articles using a laser cutting process.

[0029] FIG. 7A is a flow chart illustrating an example method of producing glass articles with optical film layers in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 7B is an illustration showing an example glass article in a first condition with an optical film layer applied to a glass substrate and in a second condition in which the optical film layer is trimmed.

[0031] FIG. 7C is an illustration showing the example glass article of FIG. 7B in a third condition in which the glass substrate has been cut and further showing a magnified view of the bonding zone at the edges of the glass article in which the optical film layer is bonded to the glass substrate.

[0032] FIGS. 8 is a photograph of a glass article cut using existing methods that shows quality defects that are overcome using the methods of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional illustration of a glass substrate and separated optical films being processed using an example method of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional illustration of a glass substrate and an integrated optical film being processed using an example method of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a graphical depiction of an edge of a glass article and photographs of glass articles processed using an example methods of the present disclosure. [0036] FIG. 10A is an enlarged version of the first photograph in FIG. 10 showing a glass article after the laser energy has been directed at the optical film layer of the glass article.

[0037] FIG. 10B is an enlarged version of the second photograph in FIG. 10 showing the glass article of FIG. 10A after the trimmed portion of the optical film layer has been removed from the glass substrate.

[0038] FIG. 11A is a photograph of a glass article with an optical film layer processed using existing methods.

[0039] FIG. 1 IB is a photograph of a glass article with an optical film layer processed using an example method of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing an example method of producing a glass article with an optical film layer in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 13 is an illustration showing various cutting patterns that can be used to trim or cut the layers of the glass articles of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 14 is an illustration of an example glass article that can include a glass panel and an electronic component that can be manufactured using a cutting pattern shown in FIG.

13.

[0043] FIG. 15 is a photograph showing a test sample manufacturing using the dashed- line cutting pattern of FIG. 13.

[0044] FIG. 16 is a graphical representation of test results showing edge perpendicularity of the test sample of FIG. 15.

[0045] FIG. 17 is a graphical representation of test results showing cutting surface roughness of the test sample of FIG. 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

[0047] For purposes of the description hereinafter, it is to be understood that the embodiments described below may assume alternative variations and embodiments. It is also to be understood that the specific articles, compositions, and/or processes described herein are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting.

[0048] In the present disclosure the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. When values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. As used herein, “about X” (where X is a numerical value) preferably refers to ±10% of the recited value, inclusive. For example, the phrase “about 8” preferably refers to a value of 7.2 to 8.8, inclusive. Where present, all ranges are inclusive and combinable. For example, when a range of “1 to 5” is recited, the recited range should be construed as including ranges “1 to 4”, “1 to 3”, “1-2”, “1-2 & 4-5”, “1-3 & 5”, “2-5”, and the like. In addition, when a list of alternatives is positively provided, such listing can be interpreted to mean that any of the alternatives may be excluded, e.g., by a negative limitation in the claims. For example, when a range of “1 to 5” is recited, the recited range may be construed as including situations whereby any of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 are negatively excluded; thus, a recitation of “1 to 5” may be construed as “1 and 3-5, but not 2”, or simply “wherein 2 is not included.” It is intended that any component, element, attribute, or step that is positively recited herein may be explicitly excluded in the claims, whether such components, elements, attributes, or steps are listed as alternatives or whether they are recited in isolation.

[0049] The present disclosure provides a method for producing a glass article that may include one or more optical films. The glass article may include a layer of a glass substrate, which may be a transparent glass substrate. In some examples, the glass article can be a glass diffuser plate for use in an electronic display panel.

[0050] Unless expressly indicated otherwise, the term “glass article” or “glass” used herein is understood to encompass any object made wholly or partly of glass. Glass articles include monolithic substrates, or laminates of glass and glass, glass and non-glass materials, glass and crystalline materials, and glass and glass-ceramics (which include an amorphous phase and a crystalline phase).

[0051 ] The glass article such as a glass panel or a glass diffuser plate may be flat or curved, and is transparent or substantially transparent. As used herein, the term “transparent” is intended to denote that the article, at a thickness of approximately 1 mm, has a transmission of greater than about 85% in the visible region of the spectrum (400-700 nm). For instance, an exemplary transparent glass panel may have greater than about 85% transmittance in the visible light range, such as greater than about 90%, greater than about 95%, or greater than about 99% transmittance, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. According to various embodiments, the glass article may have a transmittance of less than about 50% in the visible region, such as less than about 45%, less than about 40%, less than about 35%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, or less than about 20%, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In certain embodiments, an exemplary glass panel may have a transmittance of greater than about 50% in the ultraviolet (UV) region (100-400 nm), such as greater than about 55%, greater than about 60%, greater than about 65%, greater than about 70%, greater than about 75%, greater than about 80%, greater than about 85%, greater than about 90%, greater than about 95%, or greater than about 99% transmittance, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

[0052] Exemplary glasses can include, but are not limited to, aluminosilicate, alkalialuminosilicate, borosilicate, alkali-borosilicate, aluminoborosilicate, alkali- aluminoborosilicate, and other suitable glasses. Non-limiting examples of available glasses suitable for use as a light guide or a diffuser plate include, for instance, Eagle XG®, IRIS™, and GORILLA® glasses from Coming Incorporated. The glass article may be optionally strengthened. In some embodiments, the glass article may be strengthened mechanically by utilizing a mismatch of the coefficient of thermal expansion between portions of the article to create a compressive stress region and a central region exhibiting a tensile stress. In some embodiments, the glass article may be strengthened thermally by heating the glass to a temperature above the glass transition point and then rapidly quenching. In some other embodiments, the glass article may be chemically strengthening by ion exchange.

[0053] Unless expressly indicated otherwise, the term “defect” used herein is understood to encompass any type of defect in a substrate. For example, examples of a defect in a glass panel or article include, but are not limited to, a micro-crack, a crack, a bubble, a gas inclusion, a scratch, or any other defect, which may cause a substrate crack. A defect may exist inside the substrate or on the surface of the substrate, or is extended from a surface into the substrate.

[0054] The glass articles of the present disclosure can be made from any suitable glass forming technique. In some embodiments, exemplary glass substrates may be manufactured via a fusion draw process. U.S. Patent 9,643,875 issued May 9, 2017 to Brunello et. al. describes an exemplary fusion draw apparatus and process, which is incorporated by reference herein, for forming glass sheets. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to glass sheets formed via a fusion draw process, as embodiments described herein are equally applicable to other forming processes such as, but not limited to, slot draw, float, rolling, and other sheet-forming processes known to those skilled in the art

[0055] The methods of the present disclosure are suited for the production of glass diffuser plates that may be used in electronic display screens such as in the backlight unit (BLU) of a thin film transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD). In many existing designs, the diffuser plate is made of a polymer material. The glass articles of the present disclosure can be used as a glass diffuser plate. By using glass articles produced using the methods of the present disclosure instead of polymer diffuser plates, many improvements can be recognized including higher dimensional stability, lower sensitivity to humidity, better uniformity and more competitive material loss. While the disclosure described hereinafter describes advantages of glass articles over polymer articles in electronic displays, it should be recognized that the same or similar improvements can be recognized in other glass articles used in other applications that use multi-layered glass articles that include a glass substrate and one or more optical films applied thereto.

[0056] In the context of electronic displays, improvements are needed to replace the shortcomings of polymer or plastic diffuser plates. One of the trends in electronic displays, such as in high-end television products is more immersive experience for the consumer. One way to achieve a more immersive experience is to reduce and/or remove the border around the electronic display panel. Electronic displays with reduced border widths are often termed Zero Border Design (ZBD). Referring now to FIG. 1, a normal border design electronic display 100 is shown. In this normal border design, the electronic display 100 includes a border 102 with a Black Matrix (BM) width 104. In normal electronic designs, the BM width 104 can have various widths such as greater than about 5 mm.

[0057] The electronic display cross section 120 shows a configuration of a display in which an outer panel 106 resides in a housing 112. The outer panel 106 is the portion of the electronic display that is illuminated by a diffuser plate 108. In the example electronic display 102, the diffuser plate is a plastic diffuser plate 108. The diffuser plate 108 has a length that is less than the length of the cavity inside the housing 112 so that the diffuser plate 108 has room to expand and contract due to thermal expansion or moisture expansion that may occur during normal use. In the normal border design electronic display 102, relative sizing of the housing 112 with BM width 104 and the diffuser plate 108 is sized such that the diffuser plate 108 can expand and contract in the gap 110 while the BM width 104 covers the edge of diffuser plate so that the light being distributed to the panel 106 is consistent. As can be appreciated the size of the gap 110 is based on the properties of the plastic diffuser plate 108.

[0058] In Zero Border Design (ZBD) electronic displays, such as in display 130, the BM width 132 is much smaller than in the normal border design electronic display 102. In the ZBD electronic display 130, the BM width 132 can be any suitable size to provide the consumer with a more immersive viewing experience. In some examples, the BM width 132 is less than about 1 mm. In such designs, the diffuser plate has much less room to expand and contract due to thermal and moisture expansion. In such contexts, it is desirable to use a glass diffuser plate because of the improved material characteristics of glass over that of polymer materials.

[0059] As shown, in the ZBD electronic display 130, a glass diffuser plate 134 can be used. The glass diffuser plate 132 can be positioned in a housing 136 to illuminate the outer panel 138. As can be seen, the gap 140 that is allowed in the ZBD electronic display 130 between the diffuser plate 134 and the housing 136 is much smaller than that allowed in the normal border design electronic display 100. Since the BM width 132 of the ZBD electronic display is less than about 1 mm, the gap 140 can be less than about 0.5 mm. The glass articles of the present disclosure can be used to produce the glass diffuser plate 134 for these types of ZBD electronic display applications because of the improved dimensional stability of glass over polymer materials in terms of thermal and moisture expansion.

[0060] Turning now to FIGs. 2A and 2B, a cross section of a ZBD electronic display is shown. In the first example shown in FIG. 2A, a cross section 200 illustrates the issues that may arise if a plastic diffuser plate 202 is used in a ZBD electronic display. Because the plastic diffuser plate 202 includes an expansion/ contraction zone 204 that is larger than the BM width 206, light will not be evenly distributed through the panel 208 in all operating conditions. As a result, the consumer will see a light non-uniformity issue known as Mura 210. This type of light non-uniformity (or Mura) is visible and unappealing to a consumer. Therefore, electronic display manufacturers attempt to minimize (or eliminate) the Mura to improve the viewing experience.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 2B, the use of a glass diffuser plate 232 in the electronic display 230 can improve the light distribution in the panel 234. The size and extent of the non- uniform light distribution 236 is much smaller in the electronic display 230 that uses the glass diffuser plate 232. As can be seen, the expansion/contraction zone 238 of the glass diffuser plate 232 is much smaller than that of the plastic diffuser plate 202. In this example, since glass is used for the diffuser plate, the expansion/contraction zone 238 can be designed to be less than the size of the BM width 240. In this manner, the light distribution from the glass diffuser plate 232 can be greatly improved over that of the plastic diffuser plate 202.

[0062] A second issue that can arise in existing designs is a deformation issue that can arise using plastic diffuser plates. As shown in FIG. 3, if the housing of the electronic display is not sized to allow for thermal expansion and/or moisture expansion, the diffuser plate can deform in the housing when it expands. In the example shown, the diffuser plate 302 is shown in an original position 302a and in an expanded position 302b. As shown, if the housing 304 restricts the diffuser plate 302 when it expands, the diffuser plate 302 can deform. In this example, the diffuser plate 302 bows outward toward the open cell 306. This deformation can induce tension and compression stresses in the diffuser plate 302. This type of deformation can lead to undesirable light distribution and to premature failure. For this reason, glass materials are desirable in ZBD electronic displays because of the tight tolerances and dimensional stability needed to execute such designs.

[0063] Various methods can be used to create a glass diffuser plate that can be used, for example, in a ZBD electronic display. The glass diffuser plates can have a structure that includes a glass substrate with one or more optical film layers positioned on the glass substrate. An example glass article 400 is shown in FIG. 4. As shown, the glass article 400 can include a base glass substrate 402. The glass substrate 402 can made of any suitable glass material as described above. In some examples, the glass substrate can have a thickness of about 0.7 mm. In other examples, the glass substrate can have a thickness of about 0.3 mm to about 1.0 mm. In still other examples, the glass substrate can have a thickness of about 0.3 mm to about 0.7 mm. In yet other examples, the glass substrate can have other thicknesses.

[0064] One or more optical film layers can be applied to the glass substrate 402. In the example shown, a first optical film layer 404 is applied to a top surface 408 of the glass substrate and a second optical film layer 406 is positioned on a side of the first optical film layer 404 opposite to the glass substrate 402. In other examples, the glass article 400 can include more or less than two optical film layers as shown.

[0065] The optical film layers 404, 406 can be any optical film or other material used to provide optical properties suitable for the application in which the glass article 400 is being used. For example, the first optical film layer 404 and/or the second optical film layer 406 can be a diffuser film, quantum dot (QD) film, prism film, brightness enhancement film (BEF), dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF), enhanced specular reflector (ESR) film or the like. In some examples, each optical film can have a thickness of about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm. In many cases, multiple optical films are stacked on top of each other such that the combined thickness can be greater than about 0.5mm.

[0066] In some examples, the first layer 404 may have a layer thickness of less than about 1 mm. In some embodiments, the first layer 404 may have a layer thickness of about 10 nm to about 1 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.5 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.1 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.01 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.001 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.0001 mm.

[0067] In some examples, the second layer 406 may have a layer thickness of less than about 1 mm. In some examples, the second layer 406 may have a layer thickness of about 10 nm to about 1 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.5 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.1 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.01 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.001 mm, or in some examples about 10 nm to about 0.0001 mm. In some examples, the first layer 404 and the second layer 406 may have the same layer thickness. In some examples, the first layer 404 and the second layer 406 may have different layer thicknesses. [0068] In still other examples, the optical layers and the glass substrate can be combined into a diffuser laminate. One example diffuser laminate 500 is shown in FIG. 5 A. In this example, the diffuser laminate has an overall thickness of about 1.6 mm. The diffuser laminate can have a glass substrate layer 504 with a thickness of about 0.7 mm. A top layer 502 with a thickness of about 0.67 mm and a bottom layer of about 0.23 mm. In other examples, the diffuser can have layers of other sizes and other configurations to meet the needs of the application.

[0069] As further shown in FIG. 5B, the top layer 502 can have one or more optical films. In this example, the top layer 502 can include a DBEF layer, a prism layer and a QD. In other examples, the top layer 502 can have other optical films.

[0070] Diffuser laminates that are made using traditional processing techniques can be laminated together such that the optical layers are bonded to the glass substrate and that the entire surface of each layer is bonded to the adjacent layer. The methods and glass articles of the present disclose differ from these traditional techniques in that only the edges of the optical films are bonded to the glass article. The edges of the optical layers can be bonded to adjacent layers using laser energy that can cut or trim the optical layer while simultaneously bonding the optical layer to the adjacent layer.

[0071] Referring now to FIG. 6A, one method 600 for producing a glass article with one or more optical film layers is shown. In this example, a mechanical scribing and assembly process is used. At step 602, the optical film is cut by a scribing process. At step 604, additional materials are input such as adhesives or other bonding elements. Such additional materials can be applied to the glass substrate and/or to the optical film. At step 606, a bonding process occurs between the optical film and the glass substrate. At this step, alignment errors can occur when the film is applied to the glass substrate. At step 608, the glass substrate is cut to the desired size. At this step, mechanical cutting processes can be used such as by scribing and breaking the glass substrate. At step 610, the optical film can be solid bonded to the glass substrate.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 6B, another method 630 for producing a glass article with one or more optical film layers is shown. In this example, a laser cutting process is used. At step 632, the optical film is cut using a laser cutting source. At step 634, additional material are input such as adhesives or other bonding elements. Such additional materials can be applied to the glass substrate and/or to the optical film. At step 636, a bonding process occurs between the optical film and the glass substrate. At this step, alignment errors can occur when the film is applied to the glass substrate. At step, 638, the glass substrate is cut to the desired size using a laser cutting energy source. At step 640, the optical film is solid bonded to the glass substrate.

[0073] The method 600 and the method 630 can have issues and/or be costly to implement to produce glass diffuser plates or other glass articles that may be included in consumer products such as televisions and other consumer electronic displays. As a result, the implementation of glass diffuser plates may not be readily implemented in all products. In addition to being costly, the glass diffuser plates that are produced using method 600 and/or method 630 can have dimensional or other quality issues that can result in undesirable light distribution and/or result in an excessive amount of scrap or reworked articles during manufacturing. For example, and as stated above, step 606 in method 600 and step 636 in method 630 can result in alignment errors and glass surface damage. Such problems may arise because of a misalignment between the optical film and the glass substrate. Given the tight tolerances and other dimensional requirements needed in the context of ZBD electronic displays, for example, the method 600 and the method 630 can have issues with aligning the optical films with the finished size of the glass substrate. In methods 600 and 630 the dimensions of the optical film and of the glass substrate can be defined (and cut) separately. In such methods, precise controls can be required to ensure that the optical film and the glass substrate are accurately and repeatably positioned relative to each other. Any misalignments between the optical film layers and the glass substrate can result in undesirable light distribution to the open cell and result in undesirable light quality for the consumer. Furthermore, the processing that may occur during method 630, for example, can result in defects or other quality issues in the finished glass article.

[0074] Turning now to FIG. 8, a photograph of a glass article 800 is shown. In this example, the glass article 800 was manufactured using a laser cutting method such as method 630. The example glass article 800 includes a glass substrate 802 and a multi-layered optical film layer 804. As shown, the laser heats the glass article 800 in a heat affected zone (HAZ). Because of this heating, the application of the laser can induce defects in the HAZ. Such HAZ defects can include, for example, a crack 806 and/or a bubble 808. Such HAZ defects are undesirable and can negatively impact the ability of the glass article 800 to distribute light. To correct the problems and defects shown in FIG. 8 and as further described below, the laser energy that is applied to the glass article 800 can be set to a predetermined set of laser parameters during the cutting of the optical film(s) and the optical film layer can be trimmed and bonded using a laser that is different from the laser used to cut the glass substrate.

[0075] To improve on the shortcomings of the method 600 and the method 630, one example method 700 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Method 700 can include an integrated process 704 that can combine one or more of step 708, step 710 and step 712. In this manner, the cost of the process can be reduced while also improving the dimensional stability of the glass article and reducing the amount of HAZ defects that may otherwise occur. Method 700 can be a multi-layer integration laser cutting process. A similar laser cutting station can be used that is used in method 600 for example. Such a laser system can include high motion accuracy and repeatability.

[0076] The laser assembly described above can be controlled by various parameter settings. Such parameter settings can include power settings, density settings and spot size settings. The power settings can adjust the power (Watts) used by the laser. The density settings can be the inverse of the pitch between each laser pulse and the spot size settings can indicate the size of the laser spot introduced by each laser pulse by controlling the offset values of the laser.

[0077] The aforementioned parameter settings as well as other setting of the laser assembly can be used to precisely control the laser energy applied to the glass article, such as glass article 400 that can include a glass substrate as well as one or more layers of optical film. The laser assembly can cut the optical film layers and simultaneously melt the film at the interface of the glass substrate and the film to create an attachment of the optical film(s) to the glass substrate. The laser assembly can then cut the substrate using a second set of laser parameters and/or a second laser to a predetermined size during such one -step process. As can be appreciated, the amount of alignment or positioning controls that are required are much less since than in existing processes because the requirement for precise alignment between the optical film layer and the glass substrate is reduced and/or eliminated.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 7, the method 700 can include step 702. At step 702, a cutting design with specific laser parameters can be determined. The laser parameters can include various settings as well as a pattern design for the glass article. The laser parameters can be tuned or determined based on a size of the glass article as well as on other properties of the glass substrate such as thickness and glass type. The laser parameters can also be determined based on various properties of the optical film layers that are used in the glass article. The properties of the optical film layers can include a number of layers, thickness of layers, material of layers and the like.

[0079] The next step is step 704 that is the one step trimming and bonding process previously described. At sub-step 708, the optical film layers can be trimmed to a predetermined size. At sub-step 710, the optical film layers are also bonded to the glass substrate. The bonding occurs simultaneously when the laser is directed at the glass article during the trimming of the optical film layer(s). At sub-step 712, the glass substrate can be cut to the predetermined size. A second laser, for example, can be directed at the glass substrate at step 712 to cut the glass substrate. At the combined step 704, the glass article can be positioned in single laser cutting station. In this manner, the glass substrate does not need to be transferred or otherwise moved during the trimming of the optical film layer or during the cutting of the glass substrate. This allows the operations to be precisely performed and can significantly improve the precision and dimensional accuracy of the final product.

[0080] The laser energy from one or more lasers can be directed at the glass article during steps 708, 710 and 712. In one example, the optical film layer is trimmed and bonded using a CO2 laser and the glass substrate can be cut using an 1R laser. At step 706, the glass article can have a multi-layered structure that includes the optical film layers bonded to the glass substrate. After step 706, the glass article can be further processed by solid bonding the optical film layers to the glass article and/or can be further processed using other finishing steps.

[0081] The method 700 results in significant improvements to be realized over the method 600, the method 630 or other glass article manufacturing methods. Using a one-step process such as method 700, the dimensional accuracy and repeatability of the multi-layered glass article can be consistently produced with tolerances of about +/- 20 pm. In other examples, the method 700 can produce a multi-layered glass article with tolerances of less than or equal to about +/- 20 pm.

[0082] Turning now to FIGs. 7B and 7C, the glass article 400 is shown at various stages of method 700 previously described. The glass article is shown in a first condition 750. In the first condition 750, the glass article includes a piece of the glass substrate 754 and a piece of the optical film layer 752. In the first condition 750, the optical film layer 752 can be applied to the glass substrate 754. The optical film layer 752 may not be bonded or otherwise connected to the glass substrate 754 at this stage of processing. The optical film layer 752 can have an outer profile 762 that is larger than the outer profile 760 of the glass substrate 754. In this type of configuration, the optical film layer 752 can be trimmed to have a predetermined size as desired for the end application. When the optical film layer 752 overlaps the outer profile 760 of the glass substrate 754 and is then trimmed to size, the optical film layer 752 does not require precise and controlled dimensional application to the glass substrate 754. In this manner, the dimensional aspects of the finished glass article can be an improvement over methods of manufacturing in which the optical film layer 752 is trimmed or cut to size before the optical film layer 752 is applied and/or bonded to the glass substrate 754.

[0083] The glass article in the first condition 750 can be moved into a laser cutting station of a glass manufacturing process. In other examples, the optical film layer 752 can be applied to the glass substrate 754 while the glass substrate 754 is positioned in the laser cutting station. A first laser can direct laser energy 756 at the glass article. The laser energy 756 can trim the optical film layer to a predetermined size. Any suitable laser energy 756 can be used to trim the optical film layer so long as the laser energy is sufficient to trim the optical film layer and melt the optical film layer 752 without damaging or causing defects in the glass substrate 754. As shown, the laser energy 756 can be applied at an edge portion or peripheral portion of the glass substrate 754.

[0084] The glass article is shown in a second condition 770 in FIG. 7B. In the second condition, the optical film layer 752 has been trimmed to the predetermined size. The peripheral portions of the optical film layer 752 have been removed from the glass substrate 754 in the second condition 770. As further shown, the glass article can also now include a bonded portion 776. The bonded portion 776 is positioned inward of the trimmed outer profile 774 of the optical film layer 752. The bonded portion 776 can be created when the laser energy 756 trims the outer peripheral portions of the optical film layer 752. The laser energy 756 can melt an edge region of the optical film layer 752 to bond the optical film layer 752 to the glass substrate 754. In the second condition 770, the bonded portion 776 exists only at the edges of the outer profile 774 of the optical film layer because the laser energy 756 and may only have been applied at the edges of the outer profile 774 of the optical film layer 752. The center portion 790 of the optical film layer (i.e., the portion of the optical film layer inward of the bonded portion 776) may not be bonded to the glass substrate 754. As further shown, in the second condition 770, the glass substrate 754 may have an outer profile 772 that is the same as the outer profile 760 of the first condition. That is, the glass substrate 754 may not be cut but the optical film layer 752 is trimmed to expose edges of the glass substrate 754.

[0085] The glass article can then be further processed to result in the glass article being in the third condition 780 as shown in FIG. 7C. In the third condition 780, the glass substrate 754 can be cut to have the same outer profile as the optical film layer. A second laser can be used to direct a second source of laser energy (not shown) at the glass substrate 754. The second laser can be directed at the glass substrate at the edges of the optical film layer 752 (that was previously trimmed and bonded to the glass substrate 754). The second laser can cut the glass substrate 754 to the predetermined size so that the final glass article is precisely and accurately sized as desired. In the third condition 780, the optical film layer 752 is bonded to the glass substrate 754 at the bonded portion 776. The optical film layer 752 can also be unbonded or unconnected from the glass substrate 754 at the center portion 790. In some examples, the bonded portion 776 can have a width W that can be measured from an edge of the optical film layer and/or from an edge of the glass substrate 754. The width W, in some examples, can be less than about 1 mm. In other examples, the width W can be less than 0.5 mm. In other examples, the width W can be in a range of about 18 pm to about 180 pm.

[0086] FIG. 7C includes a magnified view of one of the edges of the glass article. In the magnified view, the edges 792 of the optical film layer 752 and of the glass substrate 754 can be substantially aligned. In the example shown, the optical film layer 752 includes a first optical film 782 and a second optical film 784. The first laser that directs the laser energy 756 to trim the optical film layer 752, as previously described, can not only trim the first optical film 782 and the second optical film 784 but can also bond the first optical film 782 to the glass substrate 754 and bond the second optical film 784 to the first optical film 782. As shown, the bonded portion 776 can include a first melt portion 786 that is located between the glass substrate 754 and the first optical film 782. The first melt portion 786 can bond the first optical film 782 to the glass substrate 754. The bonded portion 776 can also include a second melt portion 788 that is located between the second optical film 784 and the first optical film 782. The second melt portion 788 can bond the second optical film 784 to the first optical film 782. In other examples, the optical film layer 752 can include more than two optical films. In such examples, the laser energy 756 can trim and bond each of the optical film layers in a similar manner. In still other examples, the optical film layer 752 can be a composite optical film layer in which the multiple optical film layers are laminated or otherwise bonded to each other prior to being applied to the glass substrate. In such examples, the bonded portion 776 can bond the lowermost optical film in the optical film layer to the glass substrate 754.

[0087] As shown in FIGs. 9A and 9B, the method 700 can be implemented to produce multi-layer glass articles 900 and 930 that may have different structures. In FIG. 9A, the glass article 900 can include a glass substrate 902, a first optical film layer 904 and a second optical film layer 906. In this example, the glass substrate 902 can be any suitable glass including the glass thickness and types previously described. Each of the first optical film layer 904 and the second optical film layer 906 can be any suitable optical film material having the thicknesses, material and optical functional properties previously described. In the example shown, the first optical film layer 904 and the second optical film layer 906 are not connected, bonded or otherwise combined. The laser beam 910, in this example, can be applied at an edge location 912 to cut the first optical film layer 904 and the second optical film layer 906 while also simultaneously bonding the first optical film layer 904 and the second optical film layer 906 to the glass substrate 902. A second laser beam (not shown) can also cut the glass substrate 902 to a predetermined size. In other examples, the methods of the present disclosure can be used to cut and bond multi-layer glass articles having other quantities of optical film layers. In other examples, the glass article 900 can include three or more optical film layers. In still another example, the glass article 900 can include a single optical film layer.

[0088] In the example of FIG. 9B, the glass article 930 can include the glass substrate 932 and a composite optical film layer 934. The composite optical film layer 934 can include a first optical film layer 938 and a second optical film layer 936 that are bonded to each other using a bond layer 940. The laser beam 946, in this example, can be applied at an edge location 948 to cut the composite optical film layer 934 while also simultaneously bonding the composite optical film layer 934 to the glass substrate 932. A second laser beam (not shown) can also cut the glass substrate 932 to a predetermined size. In other examples, the glass article 932 can include more than one composite optical film layer 934 and/or a separate optical film layer in addition to the composite optical film layer 934. In still other examples, the composite optical film layer 934 can include more than two individual optical film layers bonded to each other.

[0089] A test sample 1002 was prepared to test the method 700. In the test sample (shown in FIG. 10), a glass substrate 1004 was prepared. In this example, the glass substrate 1004 was made of a glass material known as Eagle XG® glass manufactured by Coming, Inc. The glass substrate 1004 had a nominal thickness of 0.7 mm. A composite optical film 1006 was positioned on the glass substrate 1004. A CO2 laser 1008 was applied to a location 1010. In this test, the ability of the laser to cut the composite film 1006 and simultaneously bond the composite film 1006 was tested. The glass substrate 1004 was not cut in this test.

[0090] As further shown in FIG. 10, the test sample 1002 is shown in an intermediate state in which the cut zone 1022 produced by the CO2 laser 1008 severs the composite optical film layer 1006 and bonds the optical film layer 1006 to the glass substrate 1004 but a portion 1020 of the composite optical film layer 1006 remains on the glass substrate. The portion 1020 of the optical film layer 1006 was manually removed from one side of the cut zone 1022. As further shown, the test sample 1002 with the portion 1020 of the optical film layer removed is shown in image 1030. No damages or defects were observed on the surface of the glass substrate 1004 after the test method was performed.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 10A, the size of the cut zone 1022 was measured. In this test example, the length of the cut zone at the edge was measured to be 127.18 pm. The length of the cut zone 1022 between opposing edges of the optical film layer 1006 was measured to be 224.69 pm. The length of the cut zone 1022 between heat affected portions of the optical film layer was measured to be 417.59 m. As can be seen, the width of the bonded portion of the optical film layer 1006 can be tightly controlled to widths of less than about 1 mm. In this example, the width of the bonded portion can be less than about 130 pm.

[0092] Turning now to FIGs. 11 A and 1 IB, the test sample 1002 is shown with the cut portions of the optical film layer 1006 removed from a periphery of the cut zone 1022. In FIG. 11A, the test sample 1020 is shown in a horizontal position. In FIG. 1 IB, the test sample 1020 is shown in a vertical position. Thus, the optical film layer 1006 has been bonded to the glass substrate 1004 to keep the optical film layer 1006 in position relative to the glass substrate 1004.

[0093] Referring now to FIG. 12, another example method 1200 is shown. The method 1200 includes a method of producing a glass article with at least one optical film layer. The method 1200 begins at step 1202 in which the optical film layer can be applied to the glass substrate. The optical film layer can be applied such that the optical film layer is positioned adjacent to one side or surface of the glass substrate. The optical film layer can be applied without the need for including an adhesive or other bonding agent to the optical film layer or to the glass substrate. When the optical film layer is applied to the glass substrate, the optical film layer can overlap one or more edges of the glass substrate such that the outer profile of the optical film layer extends over one or more edges of the glass substrate. In one example, the glass substrate is oriented in a substantially horizontal orientation with the optical film layer positioned on a top surface of the glass substrate.

[0094] At step 1204, the optical film layer can be trimmed and bonded to the glass substrate. As a result of step 1204, the optical film layer is limited from moving relative to the glass substrate. In one example, a laser, such as a CO2 laser, can be directed at the optical film layer that is positioned adjacent the glass substrate. The laser can trim a peripheral portion of the optical film layer while simultaneously bonding the optical film layer to the glass substrate. The laser can be controlled and set with a predetermined trimming path and with predetermined laser parameters to trim the optical film layer to a predetermined shape and/or outer profile. The application of the laser to the optical film layer can cause a bonding portion of the optical film layer to melt and bond the optical film layer to the glass substrate. The bonding portion can be located at a peripheral portion of the optical film layer inward of the edges of the glass article. The center portion (i.e., the portion of the optical film layer inward of the bonding portion) can be unbonded and/or unconnected to the glass substrate.

[0095] At step 1206, the glass substrate can be cut to a predetermined size. In some examples, a second laser, such as an 1R laser, can be directed at the glass substrate to cut the glass substrate. The second laser can be directed at the glass substrate at the edges of the trimmed optical film layer. In this manner, the final glass article can be of a predetermined size in which the trimmed edges of the optical film layer and the cut edges of the glass substrate are aligned. By the use of the first laser to trim the optical film layer and the second laser to cut the glass substrate, the final outer profile of the glass article can be controlled to have precise and accurate outer dimensions. Furthermore, the trimming and bonding operation at step 1204 and the cutting operation at step 1206 can be performed in a common laser cutting station in the glass article manufacturing process. Since the glass article can be positioned in a common station, the dimensional accuracy and repeatability of the process can be further improved over that of existing processes.

[0096] The method 700 can be applied to glass articles having various configurations including glass articles with separate optical film layers or with glass articles having composite optical film layers. The method can be applied to glass articles having various numbers of optical film layers. In some examples, the glass article can have a single optical film layer. In other examples, the glass article can have two optical film layers. In other examples, the glass article can have three optical film layers. In still other examples, the glass article can have more than three optical film layers.

[0097] Referring now to FIG. 13, the laser that is directed at the glass article to perform the trimming and bonding operation of step 1204 or the cutting operation of step 1206 can be applied using differing settings and/or different laser parameters. In some examples, the laser can be applied using a continuous line cutting pattern 1300 as shown. In other examples, the laser can be applied using a dashed-line cutting pattern 1310 as shown. For example, when cutting the glass substrate, the dashed-line cutting pattern 1310 can be used. Such a cutting pattern can improve characteristics of the edge of the glass substrate. The dashed-line cutting pattern can result in an alternating pattern of mirror-like edge portions between laser cutting traced edge portions. The dashed-line cutting pattern can be used, for example, in circumstances in which one or more electrical connections are made between the edge portion of the glass article and electronic components (e.g., electrodes of adjacent electronic circuits).

[0098] One example application for the dashed-line cutting pattern 1310 is shown in FIG. 14. In the example, the dashed-line cutting pattern 1310 can be used for a display panel 1402 that can include an electronic component 1404 that will be coupled to an edge of the display panel 1402. In this example, the component 1404 includes an electrode size and electrode pitch that can be coordinated with the alternating electrode areas 1406 and the laser cutting traced edge portions 1408. The laser cutting traced edge portions 1408 can include a haze cross section and the electrode portions 1406 can include a mirror-like surface.

[0099] As shown in the photograph of FIG. 15, the edge 1500 can include the electrode portions 1502 that can have a mirror-like surface. In one test sample, the electrode portions were measured for edge perpendicularity. The image 1600 shows the results of one example test. The graph 1602 also shows the results of the example test. The test results show that the dashed-line cutting pattern can have an equal performance of existing processes and is consistent from the upper and bottom glass edges. Furthermore, additional processing steps that are required in existing processes can be reduced or eliminated.

[00100] The test sample was also inspected for roughness characteristics. The results of the inspection is shown in FIG. 17. The test results 1700 further demonstrate the benefit of the dashed-line cutting pattern. The dashed-line cutting pattern can be used to reduce damage that may otherwise occur to electrode areas of the glass article. Furthermore, the laser cutting can be accomplished in a single laser cutting station. Such benefits improve the throughput and reduce costs over that of existing processes.

[00101] The methods and system described herein may be at least partially embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatus for practicing those processes. The disclosed methods may also be at least partially embodied in the form of tangible, nontransient machine readable storage media encoded with computer program code. The media may include, for example, RAMs, ROMs, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, BD-ROMs, hard disk drives, flash memories, or any other non-transient machine-readable storage medium, or any combination of these mediums, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the method. The methods may also be at least partially embodied in the form of a computer into which computer program code is loaded and/or executed, such that, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the methods. When implemented on a general-purpose processor, the computer program code segments configure the processor to create specific logic circuits. The methods may alternatively be at least partially embodied in a digital signal processor formed of application specific integrated circuits for performing the methods.

[00102] Although the subject matter has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments, which may be made by those skilled in the art.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A glass article comprising: a glass substrate including outer edges defining an outer profile; and an optical film layer bonded to the glass substrate at a peripheral bonding zone located inward of the outer edges of the glass substrate.

2. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the peripheral bonding zone has a bonding width measured inwardly from the outer edges of the glass substrate, the bonding width being less than about 1 mm.

3. The glass article of claim 1, wherein a center portion of the optical film layer located inward of the peripheral bonding zone is not bonded to the glass substrate.

4. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the optical film layer comprises a first optical film and a second optical film.

5. The glass article of claim 4, wherein the first optical film is positioned between the glass substrate and the second optical film, the peripheral bonding zone bonding the first optical film to the glass substrate, and the first optical film and the second optical film are bonded to each other at a second peripheral bonding zone.

6. The glass article of claim 5, wherein a first center portion of the first optical film is not bonded to the glass substrate and a second center portion of the second optical film is not bonded to the first center portion of the first optical film.

7. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the glass substrate comprises a glass material having a thickness in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

8. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the optical film layer comprises a plurality of optical films defining an overall thickness, the overall thickness in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

9. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the optical film layer comprises at least three optical films.

10. The glass article of claim 1, wherein the optical film layer comprises a quantum dot film, a prism film, and a brightness enhancement film.

11. A method of producing a glass article comprising: applying an optical film layer to a glass substrate to define a multi-layered optical component; trimming the optical film layer to a predetermined size; bonding the trimmed optical film layer to the glass substrate; and wherein the steps of trimming and bonding are performed simultaneously by directing laser energy at the multi-layered component.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the laser energy simultaneously trims and bonds the optical film layer.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising cutting the glass substrate to the predetermined size.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the steps of trimming the optical film layer and bonding the optical film layer are performed using a first laser and the step of cutting the glass substrate is performed using laser energy directed at the multi-layered component using a second laser.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of trimming the optical film layer and cutting the glass substrate are performed at a common laser cutting station.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the optical film layer comprises a plurality of optical films.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the optical film layer comprises a quantum dot film, a prism film, and a brightness enhancement film.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of bonding the trimmed optical layer creates a bonding zone around a periphery of the optical film layer that prevents movement of the optical film layer relative to the glass substrate.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of bonding the trimmed optical film layer does not bond a center portion of the optical film layer to the glass substrate.