Glass-Glass Laser-Assisted Glass Frit Bonding

Abstract

A novel sealing method is proposed for encapsulating devices comprised of glass substrates. This sealing method is based on applying a glass frit paste cord onto the substrate and then using a laser beam to locally supply the necessary energy to allow the formation of a hermetic bonding layer. A detailed description of the laser bonding technique, the necessary equipment and method, and a preliminary study is carried out. The need to apply mechanical pressure during the bonding step is averted, thus facilitating the manufacturing process. The glass bonding cord obtained by the laser-assisted process was found to have an excellent contact with both substrates and no gas inclusions or voids were detected, indicating that an effective sealing was achieved. Preliminary hermeticity tests of the laser-bonded cells yielded encouraging results. The developed laser-assisted glass frit bonding process is a promising technique for obtaining hermetic sealing of photoelectronic and electrochemical devices, as it allows temperature-sensitive materials to be used inside them.