EP1656235B1 - Method for the production of components - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for producing components, in particular small glass plates such as windows for optical caps for optical components. The process includes providing a substrate, providing a carrier, joining a first surface of the substrate to a first surface of the carrier, machining the components out of the substrate, and detaching the components from the carrier in order to separate the components.

Description

Type of invention

The invention relates to a method for producing a plurality of separate components and an intermediate product according to the preamble of claims 1 and 18, respectively.

Such a process or intermediate is out US4 138 304 A known.

Background of the invention

Glass is suitable as contact or covering material in many fields of application. However, glass is difficult to machine, which is particularly detrimental when very small components such as e.g. Window for optical caps to be produced.

For such applications, conventional glass processing techniques, such as scribing and breaking, are difficult to use because of the size of the component. Furthermore, the techniques mentioned require a subsequent edge processing, which may need to be carried out individually, which is associated with considerable costs.

Nevertheless, in order to keep the costs of these methods within acceptable limits, work is typically done in the stacked composite. Here, several optical components are connected to a stack and drilled. Become a disadvantage processed in a separate step nor the edges. The connection between the layers is usually carried out with wax or other adhesive substances.

Although stacking reduces costs on the one hand, the use of connecting materials creates soiling, which must be removed again through costly cleaning processes, which on the other hand drives up costs again.

In practice, there is another difficulty that not only makes the process expensive, but also significantly affects the quality of the products. When cleaning the glasses of the adhesive substances, namely, it comes to relative movements between the glasses, which often leads to scratches in the surface.

This has a particularly disadvantageous effect if high-quality and elaborately coated glasses are processed.

An example of this is a complex anti-reflection coating with a multitude of extremely thin and diverse layers. Under certain circumstances, these coatings are particularly susceptible to scratches because of their mechanical properties.

Thus, in the conventional methods, there is a correlation between conflicting demands for cost efficiency and quality.

General description of the invention

The invention therefore has the task of providing a method for the production of components, which is inexpensive and at the same time a high Component quality achieved.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide such a method which has a high surface quality of the components, in particular of sensitive materials, e.g. Glass guaranteed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method which is particularly suitable for very small components, e.g. Glass slides, suitable.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a method which enables the simultaneous and efficient production of a plurality of components.

The object of the invention is achieved in a surprisingly simple manner already by the subject matter of independent claims 1 and 18. Advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the subclaims.

In the method according to the invention for the simultaneous production of a plurality of separate components, e.g. of glass slides, a laterally unitary or one-piece sheet substrate is provided. In this context, lateral integrally means that the substrate, which extends in a lateral plane, forms a structural unit in the substrate plane at this stage of the process. The substrate is preferably single-layered transversely to the plane, but it can also be multilayered. The substrate further has first and second surfaces, which extend in particular along the lateral plane and lie opposite each other in parallel.

Furthermore, a planar carrier is provided, which has a first and second, preferably parallel and having opposite surfaces. The first surface of the carrier is connected to the first surface of the substrate in a planar and detachable manner, so that the substrate and the carrier form a layer composite in which the carrier and the substrate are arranged in particular parallel to one another.

After bonding, a plurality of components is produced from the substrate, in which the components are worked out of the substrate, in particular separated out or punched out. In other words, the substrate is divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent sections, resulting in laterally separated components.

However, the components, at least immediately after the extraction, although they are laterally completely separated from each other, held together, in that the components are or remain attached to the carrier and the carrier is not or at least not completely divided. The orientation and location of the components is thus obtained by the attachment to the carrier.

This allows efficient production of components and easy handling, with a component, in particular surface quality of the highest quality can be achieved.

Only subsequently in a further working step, optionally with the interposition of further work steps, the components are detached from the carrier, in order to finally separate or separate the components by releasing the cohesion.

This step can be advantageously performed even under clean room conditions.

The process of the invention is particularly suitable for the production of very small and thin glass slides, e.g. made of display glass and / or with a diameter <5 mm. Such glass slides are e.g. for so-called optical caps used to encapsulate optical components. With thin glass, the processing time is advantageously short.

A preferably flat substrate or a layer comprising or consisting of glass or a vitreous material is used. It is also possible to evaporate a glass layer onto the support.

As a carrier, a carrier film, in particular made of plastic, is laminated to the glass substrate or vice versa. It should be noted that the carrier provides sufficient stability, since this later has to hold the glass plates together temporarily. Furthermore, the compound is releasable to subsequently separate the platelets. In this case, a carrier film has proven particularly useful whose adhesive power is solvable by UV light.

Such films advantageously leave no stains on the component surface and prevent scratching of the optical functional surface during processing and handling of the intermediate product.

Preferably, the detachment of the components from the carrier is thus carried out in two stages, wherein first the adhesive force is released and then the components are picked.

The working out of the components is preferably carried out as a section-wise removal of the substrate material. In this case, transversely to the substrate plane from the second surface of the substrate at least up to the first surface of the substrate, optionally worked into the carrier film into it. In particular, abrasive or abrasive removal methods are suitable in which annular structures are machined to create and singulate the sections within the annular structure. It should be noted in this case that the carrier film should not be completely ground through, so that advantageously their function as a cohesive carrier is maintained.

It is thus preferred that the substrate is completely severed first and then the support material partially removed, namely until a position between the first and the second surface of the support is reached or at least up to the first surface of the support. In this case, a plurality of laterally adjacent components are preferably worked out of the substrate or laterally separated from each other in one step.

Particularly preferably, the components are worked out in a structured manner by means of oscillating lapping, in particular ultrasonic lobes. In this case, the components are punched out of the substrate with a plurality of hollow lapping punches, with each component to be produced being assigned exactly one lapping punch. Preferably, therefore, a lapping tool is used, which has a multiplicity of laterally adjacent lapping punches which process the composite element in the same working step. Preferably, an array or a matrix of many, eg several hundred to a thousand lapping punches on a sonotrode attached.

With the ultrasonic vibration lapping components can advantageously be manufactured with dimensions of a few microns to several centimeters. Furthermore, the processing quality at the edge is already so high that it may be possible to dispense with a conventional machining such as grinding, which is associated with an enormous cost savings.

The ultrasound vibration lapping is carried out in particular without stacking or connecting the glass substrates, so that advantageously the risk of damage to the components can be reduced.

The shape of the lapping stamp is adapted to the shape of the components to be produced. Thus, the lapping method can be adapted to the respective requirement in an advantageous manner. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, lapping punches each having a closed annular, e.g. annular cross-section, i. in particular tubular lapping punches in the form of a downwardly open hollow body or cylinder used, for. to obtain circular glass slides.

Alternatively, the working out of the components can also be carried out by means of blasting with a blasting material, for example by means of sand blasting, the material of the substrate being removed by the blasting between the components to be produced. For this purpose, the substrate is covered, for example with structured photoresist or a solid mask, in particular a metal mask before irradiation areas.

In particular, by means of the blasting process, the second surface of the substrate, e.g. even while the substrate and the carrier are connected, before, after or simultaneously with the working out of the components are structured. There are e.g. Wells, cavities, etc. produced in the substrate.

The advantage of sandblasting lies in the fact that it is possible to dispense with the production of a molding tool. Furthermore, the positional accuracy, e.g. high using a photolithographic mask. The dimensions of the components or structures are not limited by the tool geometry.

The detachment of the components from the carrier, in particular made after the extraction. For example, The components are picked by vacuum from the carrier.

The method according to the invention proves to be particularly advantageous when a solder, e.g. a solder paste is to be applied, e.g. subsequently solder the windows to a corresponding optical component.

The solder is especially used as a structured solder layer, e.g. printed by screen printing on the second substrate surface. However, other structured functional layers can also be applied or printed.

Preferably, in particular before the working out of the components and / or optionally after the application of the solder on the second surface of the substrate or on the Lotmittelschicht a protective layer, such as a protective coating is applied, which advantageously protects the surface from damage.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the substrate or glass substrate is coated with a coating, e.g. an anti-reflection coating, e.g. provided on the first or second surface. Either the protective lacquer is applied to the coating to protect it or the protection of the coating is carried out by the carrier film.

After working out of the components, the protective layer is divided into a plurality of separate sections, each section being associated with a particular component.

Further preferably, the components and portions of the protective layer are machined or removed flush by working out in the same step and with the same tool across the substrate plane.

The solder layer is divided immediately before, but in the same step as the working out of the components in laterally adjacent and separate sections. As a result, after the components have been worked out and before the components have been detached from the carrier, the solder layer is divided into a plurality of laterally adjacent and separate sections, each section being assigned exactly to a specific component.

Further preferably, the protective layer, in particular after working out and / or before separating the components from the carrier, or before separating, the protective layer, for example by means of a continuous or ultrasonic washing machine removed. The removal of the protective layer thus takes place in particular on the planar substrate or substrate-carrier composite.

Advantageously, such a damage to the substrate surface can be largely avoided and the distance is much less expensive compared to a distance at the isolated component. The latter is especially true for components of small dimensions, e.g. with a diameter of <5 mm and the associated low weight most advantageous noticeable.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments and with reference to the drawings, wherein the features of the various embodiments can be combined with each other and the same and similar elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1

einen schematischen Querschnitt gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Querschnitt der Ausführungsform aus Fig. 1 in einem späteren Verfahrensstadium,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Aufsicht auf die Ausführungsform aus Fig. 2 in einem späteren Verfahrensstadium,

Fig. 4

einen schematischen Querschnitt gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung,

Fig. 5

einen schematischen Querschnitt der Ausführungsform aus Fig. 4 in einem späteren Verfahrensstadium,

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausführungsform aus Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

ein Flussdiagramm einer Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens und

Fig. 8

ein Flussdiagramm einer weiteren Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic cross section according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2

a schematic cross section of the embodiment Fig. 1 at a later stage of the procedure,

Fig. 3

a schematic plan view of the embodiment Fig. 2 at a later stage of the procedure,

Fig. 4

a schematic cross section according to another embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 5

a schematic cross section of the embodiment Fig. 4 at a later stage of the procedure,

Fig. 6

a plan view of the embodiment Fig. 5 .

Fig. 7

a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention and

Fig. 8

a flowchart of another embodiment of the method according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a composite element 8 comprising a glass substrate 10 with a laminated plastic film 12, wherein the lower surface 10a of the glass substrate 10 and the upper surface 12a of the plastic film 12 are detachably connected to each other. On a top surface 10b of the substrate 10, a resist 14 is applied. With a lower surface 12b of the carrier film 12, the composite element 8 can be placed for example on a countertop.

Four juxtaposed hollow cylindrical lapping punches 20 are excited by a sonotrode via a common holder 22 for ultrasonic oscillation and subjected to a force in the direction of the arrow 24. Due to their shape, the lapping punches 20 carry the material of the protective lacquer 14, the substrate 10 and the carrier foil 12 in sections, more precisely in a circular ring, in order to puncture a plurality of components 16 from the substrate 10. The substrate 10 is thus processed over the entire surface in one step.

The Läppstempel 20 are in Fig. 1 shown in a position in which they have completely penetrated the protective layer 14 along the force application direction 24 or transversely to the substrate plane 26 and the substrate 10 partially penetrated. The carrier film 12 has not yet been reached.

Fig. 2 shows the composite element 8, consisting of the substrate 10, the carrier film 12 and the protective layer 14 after the components 16 have been worked out by means of the Läppstempel 20 and the Läppstempel 20 have been removed. To the cylindrical components or glass plate 16 is in each case an annular recess 28 through the abrasive Working out with the Läppstempeln 20 has been generated. It can be seen that the recess 28 completely penetrates the protective layer 14 and the substrate 10 transversely to the substrate plane 26, whereas the lapping punches 20 have only partially penetrated into the carrier film. Fig. 2 shows the state of the composite element 8 after the working out, but before the detachment of the components 16 of the carrier film 12th

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the composite element 8 Fig. 2 after removing or washing off the protective layer 14. Thus, the upper surface 10b of the substrate 10 is exposed both at the components 16 and at the intermediate spaces 18 between the components 16. In the annular recesses 28, which were worked out by the Läppstempeln, the carrier film 12 is exposed.

Referring to Fig. 4 is a composite element 8 'having a similar construction to the composite element 8. The composite element 8' differs from the composite element 8 only in that a solder layer 32 in the form of a plurality of annular solder rings is printed under the protective layer 14.

The solder layer 32 has been printed as a solder paste before application of the protective layer 14 by screen printing structured and dried. In order to increase the adhesion of the solder layer on the substrate, the solder layer can additionally be pre-glazed.

Fig. 5 shows a cross section through the composite element 8 'after removing the protective layer 14, wherein the composite element 8' still the substrate 10, the carrier film 12 and the solder layer 32 comprises.

Referring to Fig. 6 is a plan view of the composite element 8 'is shown. The components 16 cleaned by the protective layer 14, each having a solder ring 32, can be seen on the upper surface 10b.

Again referring to the 4 and 5 the working out of the components 16 is performed waiving a so-called stacking. By punching or drilling out the components 16 without the use of a stack, the solder pastes can be inexpensively applied with structured screen printing to form the solder rings 32. The cutting out takes place after applying the solder paste.

The solder rings are used, for example, on windows of optical caps for semiconductor lasers or LEDs for soldering. Therefore, the solder is applied in the edge region of the optical component or of the window 16.

Referring to Fig. 7 is a flowchart for the inventive method using ultrasonic Schwinglppen shown. First, the carrier film is laminated to the glass substrate. Subsequently, the solder paste for producing the solder structures or solder rings 32 is optionally printed and then dried.

Subsequently, the protective lacquer 14 is optionally applied. Subsequently, as in Fig. 4 represented, the components or optical caps 16 by means of ultrasonic lapping with a molding tool, which comprises the lapping punch 20 comprises machined into the carrier film 12.

Then, if present, the protective coating is removed again, for example in an ultrasonic washing machine.

Subsequently, the carrier sheet 12 is irradiated with UV light, whereby the adhesion to the substrate 10 is solved, i. is weakened without the carrier film is separated from the substrate 10. Subsequently, the optical caps 16 are picked off the carrier film 12.

According to the invention, therefore, eliminates the complex handling of the small optical window 16 to picking from the carrier film. Compared to the conventional dispensing in the opto-cap thus results in significant cost advantages.

Referring to Fig. 8 is a flow chart for the inventive method, similar Fig. 7 represented. Fig. 8 differs in that instead of ultrasonic lapping the extraction of the optical caps is carried out by sandblasting.

Here, after the carrier film is laminated to the glass substrate or the solder paste is dried, a photoresist is applied to the upper surface 10b of the substrate 10 and patterned photolithographically. After structuring, the annular recesses 28 are exposed around the optical caps 16. Now, the substrate material is removed from the upper surface 10b by means of sandblasting, at least until the upper surface 12a of the carrier film 12 has been reached. Then the photoresist is removed and continue as described Fig. 7 method.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-described embodiments are to be understood by way of example, and the invention is not limited to these, but can be varied in many ways.

Claims (22)

1. Method for the production of a plurality of components (16), in particular small glass plates, comprising the steps of:

   providing a substrate (10),

   providing a carrier (12),

   connecting a first surface (10a) of the substrate (10) to a first surface (12a) of the carrier (12),

   working the components (16) out of the substrate (10), wherein the components (16) are held together by the carrier (12) at least immediately after being worked out,

   irradiating the carrier (12) with UV light in order to release the adhesive force of the carrier (12), and

   detaching the components (16) from the carrier (12) in order to separate the components (16);

   characterised in that the carrier (12) is a carrier film, the adhesive force of which can be released by UV light.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the components (16) are laterally separated from each other during the working-out procedure.
3. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a substrate (10) made of glass or a glass-like material is used.
4. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that working out the components (16) includes the removal of portions of the substrate material (10) from a second surface (10b) of the substrate (10), which is opposite the first surface (10a), at least as far as the first surface (10a) of the substrate (10).
5. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in order to work out the components (16) the substrate material (10) and the carrier material (12) are removed in portions and in succession until a position between the first and a second surface (12a, 12b) of the carrier material (12) is reached, wherein the second lies opposite the first surface.
6. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in one operational step a large number of laterally adjacent components (16) are worked out from the substrate (10).
7. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the components (16) are worked out by means of vibrational machining.
8. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the vibrational machining is carried out with a plurality of hollow machining dies (20).
9. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that machining dies (20) with a closed annular cross-section are used.
10. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the components (16) are worked out by means of blasting with a blasting material.
11. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second surface (10b) of the substrate (10) is structured.
12. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the components (16) are released from the carrier (12) by means of a vacuum.
13. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a solder (32) is applied.
14. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the solder is printed on in a structured manner in the form of a solder layer (32).
15. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a protective layer (14) is applied to the second surface (10b) of the substrate (10) and/or to the solder layer.
16. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the protective layer (14) is removed after the working-out procedure and/or before separation.
17. Method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least some of the following steps are carried out in the following sequence:

    - providing the substrate (10) and the carrier (12),

    - then connecting the substrate (10) to the carrier (12),

    - then applying the solder layer (32),

    - then applying the protective layer (14),

    - then attaching a mask for structuring purposes,

    - then working the components (16) out of the substrate,

    - then removing the mask,

    - then removing the protective layer (14),

    - then releasing the adhesive force of the carrier (12) by means of UV light,

    - then detaching the components (16) from the carrier (12).
18. Intermediate product in the form of a layered composite (8), in particular capable of being produced by a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a substrate (10), which is divided into a large number of laterally separated components (16), and a common flat carrier (12), wherein the components (16) are releasably attached to the common carrier (12) in a laterally adjacent arrangement, characterised in that the carrier (12) is a carrier film, the adhesive force of which can be released by UV light.
19. Intermediate product as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that a solder layer (32) is applied to the second surface (10b) of the substrate and possibly below the protective layer (14), wherein the solder layer (32) is divided into a large number of laterally separate portions and each portion is allocated to a specific component (16).
20. Intermediate product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the solder layer (32) is printed on in a structured manner.
21. Intermediate product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a first surface (10a) of the substrate (10) is connected to a first surface (12a) of the carrier (12), and the substrate (10) has a protective layer (14) on a second surface (10b), which is opposite the first surface (10a), and/or on the solder layer.
22. Intermediate product as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that
    the protective layer (14) is divided into a large number of mutually separate portions,
    each portion is allocated to a specific component and
    the substrate defines a plane, wherein the components and the portions of the protective layer (14) are machined in a flush manner transversely to the plane.

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