METHOD FOR CUTTING OF FRANGIBLE NON-METALLIC MATERIALS Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: methods for cutting of glass of any kind, including quartz glass, various kinds of monocrystals, such as sapphire and quartz, ceramic, semiconductors, such as silicon, gallium arsenide etc.

SUBSTANCE: method involves heating material surface along cutting line by laser beam and providing additional action upon material; performing non-through notching of material along cutting line in laser beam heated zone. Additional action upon material surface involves using at least one source of elastic wave, with pulsed laser radiation being used as such source and said material being impermeable for such radiation. Elastic wave amplitude and frequency are selected depending on whether non-through notching or cutting through operation is performed. In cutting of some materials, it is recommended that, after heating of material surface along cutting line with laser beam, heated zone be additionally cooled by means of coolant, with elastic waves acting in zone of exposing of material surface to coolant. Cutting process may be performed in single or various process cycles at equal cutting speeds. Cutting lines may be made intersecting. Also, double-layer packets of materials may be cut.

EFFECT: increased efficiency, wider range of use and improved quality of cutting of fragile non-metal materials.

7 cl, 4 dwg