US4847138A — Thermal writing on glass and glass-ceramic substr…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 96 words

An article of manufacture comprising a glass or glass-ceramic substrate containing as a constituent an oxide of a transition metal capable of being exuded onto the surface of said substrate under thermal influence, said substrate having a portion of its surface coated with said transition metal and a portion of the surface free of such metal, the coated portion of the surface corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and said pattern extending into the substrate only under the metal pattern as a zone of diminished metal content relative to the metal content in the adjacent uncoated zone.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 96 words

An article of manufacture comprising a glass or glass-ceramic substrate containing as a constituent an oxide of a transition metal capable of being exuded onto the surface of said substrate under thermal influence, said substrate having a portion of its surface coated with said transition metal and a portion of the surface free of such metal, the coated portion of the surface corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and said pattern extending into the substrate only under the metal pattern as a zone of diminished metal content relative to the metal content in the adjacent uncoated zone.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

An article in accordance with claim 1 wherein said exuded transition metal is selected from the group composed of copper, iron and cobalt.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

An article in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thermally written pattern is composed of spatially separated metal lines.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 13 words

An article in accordance with claim 3 wherein said metal lines are electroconductive.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 12 words

An article in accordance with claim 4 wherein said metal is copper.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

An article in accordance with claim 3 wherein the lines are less than 2 mils in width.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

An article in accordance with claim 4 wherein said metal lines interconnect leads in microcircuitry.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of producing a desired metallic pattern of a selected transition metal on the surface of a glass or glass-ceramic substrate which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a glass substrate having a composition containing an oxide of said selected transition metal and which is capable of exuding said selected transition metal onto the surface of said glass when subjected to thermal influence; and then (b) applying an intense, well-focused source of energy onto the surface of said glass substrate in a pattern corresponding to the desired metallic pattern, the intensity of the source of energy applied being such as to develop sufficient localized heating within the surface of said glass substrate to cause said selected transition metal to exude onto the surface of said glass substrate in said desired metallic pattern.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of producing a desired metallic pattern of a selected transition metal on the surface of a glass or glass-ceramic substrate which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a glass substrate having a composition containing an oxide of said selected transition metal and which is capable of exuding said selected transition metal onto the surface of said glass when subjected to thermal influence; and then (b) applying an intense, well-focused source of energy onto the surface of said glass substrate in a pattern corresponding to the desired metallic pattern, the intensity of the source of energy applied being such as to develop sufficient localized heating within the surface of said glass substrate to cause said selected transition metal to exude onto the surface of said glass substrate in said desired metallic pattern.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, cobalt, and iron.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said glass is a borosilicate or an aluminosilicate.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the amount of said oxide of said selected transition metal in the glass composition is 1-20% by weight.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said energy source is a laser beam, and the glass additionally contains a metal oxide absorbent for the optical energy of that laser beam.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said energy source is an argon laser having a power level greater than 0.20 watts and a travel rate of 0.10 to 10 cm./second, and said absorbent is iron oxide.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the content of iron oxide is 1 - 5%.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said energy source is a CO 2 laser, and said absorbent is a silicate glass that absorbs the optical energy.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said transition metal exudes in the presence of oxygen and remains essentially unoxidized.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 51 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said glass substrate provided is composed of a thermally crystallizable base glass, a transition metal pattern is exuded on its surface, and the patterned glass substrate is exposed to a thermal treatment that develops one or more crystal phases throughout the glass substrate.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein at least that portion of said glass substrate, upon which said transition metal pattern is to be produced by applying a source of energy, is covered with an organic, carbonaceous material before applying said source of energy.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said organic carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of tapes, plastic films, glue and corn oil.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said source of energy is applied through an organic, carbonaceous material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said exuded metal exists at least in part as an oxide, and the pattern is subjected to a reducing atmosphere to reduce the oxide to metal.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said reducing atmosphere contains hydrogen.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said substrate glass is a borosilicate, and said localized heating takes place in a vacuum.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said substrate, with a metal pattern thereon, is exposed to electroless deposition or electrodeposition to impart or enhance electroconductivity in the pattern.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 12 words

A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein said metal is copper.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of thermal writing with a selected transition metal on the surface of a glass substrate which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a glass substrate having a composition containing an oxide of said selected transition metal and which is capable of exuding said selected transition metal onto the surface of said glass when subjected to thermal influence; and then (b) applying an intense, well-focused source of energy onto the surface of said glass substrate along a path corresponding to the desired metallic writing, the intensity of the source of energy applied being such as to develop sufficient localized heating within the surface of said glass substrate to cause said selected transition metal to exude onto the surface of said glass substrate in said desired metallic writing.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of thermal writing with a selected transition metal on the surface of a glass substrate which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a glass substrate having a composition containing an oxide of said selected transition metal and which is capable of exuding said selected transition metal onto the surface of said glass when subjected to thermal influence; and then (b) applying an intense, well-focused source of energy onto the surface of said glass substrate along a path corresponding to the desired metallic writing, the intensity of the source of energy applied being such as to develop sufficient localized heating within the surface of said glass substrate to cause said selected transition metal to exude onto the surface of said glass substrate in said desired metallic writing.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said source of energy is applied through an organic, carbonaceous material.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, cobalt and iron.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 108 words

An article of manufacture comprising a glass or glass-ceramic substrate containing as a constituent an oxide of a transition metal capable of being exuded onto the surface of said substrate, and also containing a metal oxide absorbent for the optical energy of a laser beam, said substrate having a portion of its surface coated with said transition metal and a portion of the surface free of such metal, the coated portion of the surface corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and said pattern extending into the substrate only under the metal pattern as a zone of diminished metal content relative to the metal content in the adjacent uncoated zone.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 108 words

An article of manufacture comprising a glass or glass-ceramic substrate containing as a constituent an oxide of a transition metal capable of being exuded onto the surface of said substrate, and also containing a metal oxide absorbent for the optical energy of a laser beam, said substrate having a portion of its surface coated with said transition metal and a portion of the surface free of such metal, the coated portion of the surface corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and said pattern extending into the substrate only under the metal pattern as a zone of diminished metal content relative to the metal content in the adjacent uncoated zone.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 13 words

An article in accordance with claim 29 wherein said absorbent is iron oxide.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 14 words

An article in accordance with claim 29 wherein said absorbent is a silicate glass.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-07-10	1993-01-09	1993-07-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-07-10	1997-01-09	1997-07-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-07-10	2001-01-09	2001-07-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Thermal writing on glass and glass-ceramic substrates

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