TWI762517B - Electrochromic coated glass articles and methods for laser processing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed herein are glass articles coated on at least one surface with an electrochromic layer and comprising minimal regions of laser damage, and methods for laser processing such glass articles. Insulated glass units comprising such coated glass articles are also disclosed herein.

Description

Electrochromic coated glass object and method for laser processing electrochromic coated glass object

This application claims priority to US Application Serial No. 15/288,071, filed on October 7, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrochromic coated glass objects, and more particularly, to methods for laser processing such objects. The present disclosure also relates to insulating glass units including glass substrates coated with electrochromic layers.

Glass substrates coated with electrochromic films are useful in a variety of applications, including architectural and automotive applications. For example, electrochromic films can be used to vary the light intensity and/or light absorption in a room or car. An insulating glass unit (IGU) may include two pieces of glass with a perimeter seal to form a cavity between the glass sheets, which may be filled with an insulating gas (eg, argon) to modify the energy level of the IGU. In certain applications, an electrochromic layer may be used to coat one of the glass flakes in the IGU. The coated IGUs may additionally contain one or more components for applying a voltage to the electrochromic layer (eg, busbars), thus providing a coloring effect, which may reduce the IGU's sensitivity to various wavelengths and/or heat transmission.

During the manufacture of an IGU or any other glass article that includes an electrochromic layer, the electrochromic layer can be applied to the glass after the cutting and grinding steps (due to the humidity of the films and the particles generated during these steps) sensitivity). For example, exposing electrochromic films to water coolants used during the polishing process can cause the films to blister and/or decompose, thereby inhibiting the functional and/or aesthetic qualities of the films. Therefore, for traditional IGU production, glass sheets are usually cut to the desired IGU shape and size, and then coated with an electrochromic film ("cut and coated"), rather than using an electrochromic film to coat large Glass substrates, then the coated substrates are diced according to size ("coating and dicing").

However, due to the jig, the "dicing and coating" process can result in glass substrates with significant areas uncoated or uniformly coated by the electrochromic layer. For example, the components used to place and hold the glass substrate in place in the coating equipment can interfere with the ability to coat the glass substrate from edge to edge. In addition, the "coat and cut" process may have reduced manufacturing flexibility because the fixtures must be specific to each glass substrate shape and/or size and must be adjusted to accommodate different glass shapes and/or sizes. In contrast, a "coat and cut" process can implement a single standard fixture for a large glass substrate, and the glass substrate can then be cut to size ("coat and cut").

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a method for producing glass substrates using electrochromic film coating that does not substantially damage the electrochromic film and/or does not result in glass substrates including uncoated or non-uniform coatings area. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a method for manufacturing such electrochromic coated glass articles, which method may exhibit increased manufacturing flexibility and/or reduced manufacturing cost, eg, may be used to coat coatings having general shapes and/or A sized glass substrate and then a method of cutting the glass into a specific shape and/or size for a desired application.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to glass articles including a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an electrochromic coating disposed on at least a portion of the second surface, wherein a voltage is applied to After the glass object, the first region of the coated portion of the glass substrate has a first visible light transmission that is less than a second visible light transmission of the second region of the coated portion. According to some embodiments, the first region may be colored and the second region may not be colored after the voltage is applied. In various embodiments, the first and second regions may be separated by a contour comprising a plurality of defect points or lines, and in some embodiments, the defect lines may be linear or linear when viewing the first or second surface orthogonally. bending. According to additional embodiments, the first and/or second regions may comprise patterns on the glass article when viewed orthogonally to the first or second surface.

It is further disclosed herein that the glass article includes a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an electrochromic coating disposed on substantially all of the second surface, wherein the electrochromic coating includes proximate at least one edge of the glass article of laser-damaged perimeter regions having a width of less than about 10 mm, 1 mm, or 0.1 mm. Insulating glass units comprising such glass objects are further disclosed herein.

In aspect (1), the present disclosure provides an electrochromic glass object, comprising: a glass substrate including a first surface, an opposite second surface, and one or more edges, wherein the one or more edges At least one or more of the plurality of edges includes a laser modified edge; an electrochromic coating disposed on at least a portion of the second surface and including at least two electrically discontinuous regions, each The electrically discontinuous region has an outline; and wherein the two electrically discontinuous regions are separated by a laser-modified discontinuous line having a width from about 0.1 μm to about 25 μm. In aspect (2), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of aspect (1), wherein the electrochromic coating comprises tungsten oxide. In aspect (3), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of aspect (1) or (2), wherein the electrically discontinuous regions are not substantially damaged by the laser. In aspect (4), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (3), wherein the second surface of the glass substrate proximate the laser-modified discontinuous line Virtually impervious to laser damage. In aspect (5), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of aspect (4), wherein the profile of at least one of the at least two electrically discontinuous regions is non-linear. In aspect (6), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (5), wherein the laser cut discontinuity is a continuous formed by a laser line, the laser has a pulse width from ^10-10 to ^10-15 seconds at FWHM. In aspect (7), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (6), wherein the second region includes a pattern in the first region or the first region The area includes a pattern in the second area. In aspect (8), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (7), wherein the glass article comprises a glass sheet having a range from about 0.1 mm to a thickness of about 10 mm. In aspect (9), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (8), wherein one of the at least two electrically discontinuous regions includes proximity to the glass an area of the second surface of the one or more edges of the substrate. In aspect (10), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of aspect (9), wherein the electrically discontinuous region proximate the one or more edges of the glass substrate has a diameter of less than about 0.1 mm a width. In aspect (11), the present disclosure provides the electrochromic glass article of aspect (9), wherein the electrically discontinuous area proximate the one or more edges of the glass substrate comprises about 5% or more lower the coated portion of the glass object.

In aspect (12), the present disclosure provides a glass object including a first surface, an opposite second surface, and an electrochromic coating disposed on substantially all of the first surface On both surfaces, wherein the electrochromic coating includes a laser-damaged peripheral region proximate to at least one edge of the glass object, the laser-damaged peripheral region having a width of less than about 0.1 mm. In aspect (13), the present disclosure provides the glass article of aspect (12), wherein the laser damaged perimeter area includes about 5% or less of the second surface of the glass article. In aspect (14), the present disclosure provides the glass article of aspect (12) or (13), wherein the at least one edge has a linear or curved profile. In aspect (15), the present disclosure provides the glass article of any one of aspects (12) to (14), wherein the glass article comprises a glass sheet having a range from about 0.1 mm to about 10 A thickness of mm. In aspect (16), the present disclosure provides the glass article of any one of aspects (12) to (15), wherein a coated portion of the second surface includes a first region and a second region, And wherein after the voltage is applied to the glass object, the first region has a first visible light transmission, and the first visible light transmission is smaller than a second visible light transmission of the second region. In aspect (17), the present disclosure provides the glass article of aspect (16), wherein the first and second regions are separated by a discontinuous line comprising one or more laser lines. In aspect (18), the present disclosure provides the glass article of aspect (17), wherein the profile is linear or curved.

In aspect (19), the present disclosure provides an insulating glass unit comprising the electrochromic glass article of any one of aspects (1) to (11).

In aspect (20), the present disclosure provides an insulating glass unit comprising the glass article of any of aspects (12)-(18).

Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the following detailed description, and in part apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, from the specification or by implementing the methods as described herein, including the following detailed description , the scope of the patent application, and the accompanying drawings.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present various embodiments of the disclosure and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the claimed scope. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure, and together with the description help explain the principles and operation of the disclosure.

The glass articles disclosed herein may be fabricated using one or more methods for producing small (eg, 100 Å) in glass for the purpose of drilling, cutting, dividing, perforating, or otherwise manipulating the material. , 10, or 1 micron or less) "voids", optionally in combination with one or more methods of sensing defects or discontinuities in the electrochromic layer coated on glass. In certain embodiments, ultrashort (ie, pulse widths from ^10-10 to ^10-15 seconds FWHM, eg, nanoseconds to femtoseconds) pulsed laser beams (eg, operating at wavelengths such as 1064, 532, 355 or 266 nm) to energy densities above a critical value such that defects can arise at the surface of the glass or in the region of the focal point within the glass. By repeating this process, a series of laser-induced defects can be created that are aligned along a predetermined path or profile. In some embodiments, the laser-induced defect lines can be spaced close enough together that a controlled area of mechanical weakness within the glass can be created and optionally used to break or separate (mechanically or thermally) along a defined contour )Material. For example, after contact with the ultrashort pulse laser, the material can be contacted with a second laser beam (eg, an infrared light laser such as a carbon dioxide ( _CO2 ) laser, or other source of thermal stress) to separate the glass into one or more multiple parts.

According to various embodiments, one or more vertical defects or defect points, a series of points or lines may be created in the glass substrate, and a contour or path of lowest resistance may be delineated along which the substrate may be separated to define a desired shape, wherein the contour includes a plurality of defect lines or regions extending from the first surface to the opposite second surface of the glass substrate. The substrate to be treated can be irradiated with an ultra-short pulsed laser beam (eg, pulse width < 100 psec; wavelength ≤ 1064 nm) that can be focused into a high aspect ratio focal line to penetrate All or part of the substrate thickness.

Within this high energy density volume, the substrate can be modified via nonlinear effects that can be triggered by high light intensities. Below this intensity threshold, the substrate may be transparent to laser radiation, and the substrate may not be modified to create defect lines. As used herein, a substrate is "substantially transparent" to a laser wavelength when the substrate absorbance at the laser wavelength is less than about 10% per millimeter of substrate depth (eg, less than about 5% or less than about 1%). By scanning the laser over a desired contour or path, one or more narrow defect lines can be created in the substrate, and the contour can define a perimeter or shape and/or coat colored or uncolored areas of the substrate, which can be The glass substrates are separated along the perimeter or shape.

Ultrashort pulse lasers can produce multiphoton absorption (MPA) in substantially transparent materials (eg, glass). MPA is the simultaneous absorption of two or more photons of the same or different frequencies in order to excite a molecule from one state (usually the ground state) to a higher energy electronic state. The energy difference between the lower and upper states of the molecule involved is equal to the sum of the energies of the two photons. MPA (also known as induced absorbance) can be a second or third order process, eg, orders of magnitude weaker than linear absorbance. The difference between MPA and linear absorbance is that, for example, the intensity of induced absorbance can be proportional to the square of the light intensity, so MPA is a nonlinear light processing.

The pulsed laser beam may have a wavelength selected from wavelengths where the substrate is substantially transparent, eg, less than or equal to about 1064 nm, such as 532, 355, or 266 nm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In some embodiments, exemplary power levels for pulsed lasers may range from about 25 W to about 125 W, or from about 50 W to about 100 W, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. According to various embodiments, the pulsed laser beam may have a pulse period of less than 10 nanoseconds, eg, about 100 picoseconds. In some embodiments, the pulsed laser beam has a pulse period from greater than about 1 picosecond to less than about 100 picoseconds, eg, ranging from about 5 picoseconds to about 50 picoseconds, from about 10 picoseconds to about 30 picoseconds , or from about 15 picoseconds to about 20 picoseconds, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In additional embodiments, the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed laser beam may range from about 1 kHz to about 4 MHz, such as from about 10 kHz to about 650 MHz, from about 50 kHz to about 500 MHz, from about 100 kHz to About 400 MHz, or from about 200 kHz to about 300 MHz, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

In some embodiments, the pulsed laser beam may operate in a single pulse mode, or in other embodiments, in a burst mode. In the latter embodiment, a burst of pulses may include two or more pulses, such as, for example, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or more pulses per burst, including all in between Ranges and subranges. Periods between individual pulses in a burst of pulses may range, for example, from about 1 nanosecond to about 50 nanoseconds, such as from about 10 nanoseconds to about 30 nanoseconds, or from about 20 nanoseconds to about 40 nanoseconds, including All scopes and subscopes in between. In certain embodiments, the period between bursts of pulses may range from about 1 microsecond to about 20 microseconds, such as from about 5 microseconds to about 10 microseconds, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. Accordingly, the burst repetition frequency of the pulsed laser beam can range from about 1 kHz to about 200 kHz, such as from about 20 kHz to about 150 kHz, or from about 50 kHz to about 100 kHz, including all ranges and subranges therebetween .

In burst mode, the average laser power per burst may range from about 50 μJ per burst to about 1000 μJ per burst, eg, from about 100 μJ per burst to about 750 μJ per burst, from about 200 μJ per burst to about 500 μJ per burst, or from about 250 μJ per burst to about 400 μJ per burst, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. According to additional embodiments, the average laser power applied to a given material may be measured as μJ per burst of material per mm of material, and may be, for example, greater than the thickness (mm) of a given material (eg, glass) per cell ) about 40 μJ per burst, for example ranging from about 40 μJ per burst per mm to about 2500 μJ per burst per mm, from about 100 μJ per burst per mm to about 2000 μJ per burst per mm, from about 250 μJ per burst per mm to about 1500 μJ per burst per mm, or from about 500 μJ per burst per mm to about 1000 μJ per burst per mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. For example, a 0.1 to 0.2 mm thick Corning Eagle ^XG® glass substrate can be processed using a pulsed laser of 200 μJ per burst to give an exemplary laser power of 1000 to 2000 μJ per burst per mm. In another non-limiting example, a 0.5 to 0.7 mm thick Corning Eagle ^XG® glass substrate may be processed using a pulsed laser of 400 to 700 μJ per burst to give an exemplary laser of 570 to 1400 μJ per burst per mm radiation power.

According to non-limiting embodiments, the glass substrate and the pulsed laser beam can be translated relative to each other, eg, the glass substrate can be translated relative to the pulsed laser beam and/or the pulsed laser beam can be translated relative to the glass substrate to generate a profile . In one particular embodiment, a glass substrate is translated and a pulsed laser is applied to the glass substrate while the pulsed laser itself is translated. For example, in roll-to-roll processing, glass substrates can be very long (eg, tens of meters long or longer) and translated substantially continuously during laser processing. The laser is translated at a suitable speed and along a suitable vector to create one or more contours in the glass substrate. Either the substrate or the laser can change its speed during the process.

The contour can include defect lines that can trace or define the perimeter of the shape to be produced, either by subsequent separation or by subsequent voltage application (eg, coloring). The translation or scan speed may depend on various laser processing parameters including, for example, laser power and/or repetition rate. Exemplary translation or scan speeds can range, for example, from about 1 mm per second to about 5000 mm per second, such as from about 100 mm per second to about 4000 mm per second, from about 200 mm per second to about 3000 mm per second, from about 200 mm per second to about 3000 mm per second. From about 300 mm per second to about 2500 mm per second, from about 400 mm per second to about 2000 mm per second, or from about 500 mm per second to about 1000 mm per second, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

The repetition rate and/or scan speed of the pulsed laser beam can be varied to produce the desired periodicity (or pitch) between defect lines. In some embodiments, the defect lines may be separated by about 0.5 μm to about 25 μm, such as from about 1 μm to about 20 μm, from about 2 μm to about 15 μm, from about 3 μm to about 12 μm, from about 4 μm to about 10 μm, or from about 5 μm to about 8 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. For example, for a linear cut (or scan) at a speed of 300 mm per second, a periodicity of 3 μm between defect lines corresponds to a pulsed laser with a burst repetition rate of at least 100 kHz. Similarly, for a scan speed of 600 mm per second, a periodicity of 3 μm between defect lines corresponds to a pulsed laser with a burst repetition rate of at least 200 kHz.

In addition, the dimensions of the defect lines can be affected by, for example, laser focusing parameters, such as the length of the laser beam focal line and/or the average spot diameter of the laser beam focal line. For example, a pulsed laser can be used to create one or more defect lines with a relatively high aspect ratio (length:diameter), so that in some embodiments, very thin, long defect lines can be created from the first The surface extends to an opposite second surface of the substrate. In principle, the defect lines can be generated by a single pulsed laser, or additional pulses can be used to increase the affected area (eg, increased defect line length and/or width).

As generally illustrated in Figures 1A-1B, a method for cutting a glass substrate 130 including an electrochromic layer 150 may include using a pulsed laser 140 to create contours or defect lines 110, including a plurality of the substrates to be processed Defective line 120 . For example, the defect line 120 may extend through the thickness of the glass substrate, eg, approximately normal to the major (flat) surfaces a, b of the glass sheet. Although a linear profile (such as profile 110 shown in Figure 1A) can be created by translating the glass substrate 130 and/or the pulsed laser 140 in one dimension, it is also possible to / or pulsed lasers to create curved or non-linear profiles. As shown in FIG. 1B , the glass substrate 130 may then be separated along the outline 110 to create two separated portions 130a and 130b , wherein the separated edges or surfaces are defined by the outline 110 , each portion including the electrochromic layer 150 .

Referring to Figures 2A-2B, a method for laser processing a substrate may include focusing a pulsed laser beam 2 into a laser beam focal line 2b oriented along the beam propagation direction. A laser (not shown) may emit a pulsed laser beam 2 , which may have a portion 2 a that is incident on the optical assembly 6 . The optical component 6 can convert the incident portion 2a of the laser beam into a laser beam focal line 2b, which can have a length L and a diameter D along the beam direction. The substrate 1 can be placed in the beam path to at least partially overlap the laser beam focal line 2b, which can thus be directed into the substrate 1 . The first surface 1a can be placed to face the optical component 6, while the opposite second surface 1b can be placed to face away from the optical component 6, and vice versa. The thickness d of the substrate may extend vertically between the surfaces 1a and 1b.

As depicted in FIG. 2A , the substrate 1 may be aligned to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the laser beam and the focal line 2 b produced by the optical assembly 6 . In various embodiments (as depicted), focal line 2b may start before surface 1a of substrate 1 and may not extend beyond surface 1b. Of course other focal line orientations may be used such that focal line 2b starts after surface 1a and/or extends beyond surface 1b (not shown). Assuming sufficient laser intensity along the laser beam focal line 2b, the laser beam focal line and the area where the substrate overlaps can be modified by nonlinear multiphoton or inductive absorption of laser energy, and the intensity can be determined by focusing the laser Beam 2 is generated over a segment of length l, ie, the line focus of length l.

Inductive absorption may create defect lines in the substrate material along section 2c. In some embodiments, the defect line may be a microscopic series (eg, 100 nm < diameter < 10 μm) “holes” (also known as perforations or defect lines). According to various embodiments, individual perforations may be produced at a rate of several hundred kHz (hundreds of thousands per second). By translating the substrate and the pulsed laser relative to each other, these vias (also called periodicity or pitch) adjacent to each other separated by the desired space can be created. The periodicity of the defect lines can be selected as desired to facilitate separation of the substrates and/or to produce the desired coloring effect. Exemplary periodic ranges between defect lines can be, for example, from about 0.5 μm to about 25 μm, such as from about 1 μm to about 20 μm, from about 2 μm to about 15 μm, from about 3 μm to about 12 μm, from about 4 μm to about 10 μm, or from From about 5 μm to about 8 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the defect line may be a "through hole" or open channel extending from the first surface 1a to the opposite second surface 1b, eg, extending across the entire thickness d of the substrate 1 . Defect line formation may also extend across a portion of the thickness of the substrate, as indicated by section 2c having length L in Figure 2A. The length L of the segment 2c thus corresponds to the length of the overlap between the laser beam focal line 2b and the substrate 1 and the length of the final defect line. The average diameter D of the section 2c may correspond to more or less than the average diameter of the laser beam focal line 2b. Referring to Fig. 2B, the substrate 1 exposed to the laser beam 2 of Fig. 2A will eventually expand due to inductive absorption of laser energy, so that the corresponding induced tension in the material can lead to the formation of micro-cracks. According to various embodiments, the induced tension may be greatest at surface 1a.

As defined herein, the width of the defect line corresponds to the inner width of the open channel or the diameter of the air voids created in the glass substrate. For example, in some embodiments, the width of the defect line may range from about 0.1 μm to about 5 μm, such as from about 0.25 μm to about 4 μm, from about 0.5 μm to about 3.5 μm, from about 1 μm to about 3 μm, or from about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In some embodiments, the width of the defect line may be as large as the average spot diameter of the laser beam focal line, eg, the average spot diameter of the laser beam focal line may also range from about 0.1 μm to about 5 μm, such as from about 0.25 μm μm to about 4 μm, from about 0.5 μm to about 3.5 μm, from about 1 μm to about 3 μm, or from about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In embodiments where the glass substrate is divided along a contour that includes a plurality of defect lines, the defect lines can potentially be viewed along the cut edges of the divided portions, and the regions can have a width comparable to the width of the defect lines, eg, From about 0.1 μm to about 5 μm.

The pulsed laser beam can be focused to a laser beam focal line of any desired length /, which length can vary, eg, depending on the selected optical component configuration. In some embodiments, the laser beam focal length may range, for example, from about 0.01 mm to about 100 mm, such as from about 0.1 mm to about 50 mm, from about 0.5 mm to about 20 mm, from about 1 mm to about 10 mm mm, from about 2 mm to about 8 mm, or from about 3 mm to about 5 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In various embodiments, the laser beam focal length l may correspond to the thickness d of the substrate, may be less than the thickness d, or may be greater than the thickness d of the substrate. Thus, in some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein may be used to process or cut more than one substrate, such as a stack of two or more substrates. According to non-limiting examples, a pulsed laser beam can perforate stacks of glass substrates up to a total thickness of about 100 mm or more, eg, from 20 μm to about 200 mm (even in multiple locations, using a single laser pass) example in which there are one or more air voids between the substrates). For example, each substrate of a stack of 200 substrates (each substrate 0.5 mm thick) can be perforated by a single pass of the laser. For example, each substrate having an electrochromic film about 1 micron (0.001 mm) thick would make a stack of 200 of these substrates 100.2 mm thick (100 mm glass and 0.2 mm electrochromic film). Additionally, some embodiments may further include additional coating and/or protective materials between the glass substrates that are optically clear and allow for multiple perforations. Such _coatings include, but are not limited to, _SiO2 , _Al2O3 , and organic and inorganic polymers such as siloxanes.

A defective line or a plurality of defective lines can be created using a variety of methods. For example, various devices can be used to focus the laser beam to create the laser beam focal lines. Laser beam focal lines can be generated, for example, by transmitting a Gaussian laser beam into an axicon lens to generate a Gauss-Bessel laser beam profile. Gauss-Bessel beams can diffract more slowly than Gaussian beams (eg, single micron spot sizes in the range of hundreds of microns or millimeters can be maintained as opposed to tens of microns or less). The depth or length of focused intensity for Gauss-Bessel beams may thus be much greater than for Gauss beams. Other slow diffracting or non-diffracting beams, such as Airy and Bessel beams, can also be generated using or using optical elements. Exemplary optical assemblies for generating laser beam focal lines are provided in US Patent Application Nos. 14/529,520 and 14/530,457, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Focusing can be achieved, for example, using any kind of donut shaped laser beam, spherical lenses, axicon lenses, diffractive elements, or any other suitable method or device to form a linear region of high intensity. The type of pulsed laser (eg, picosecond, femtosecond, etc.) and/or its wavelength (eg, IR, UV, green, etc.) can also be varied, as long as sufficient intensity is generated due to nonlinear optical effects to create a break down.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary optical assembly 6 that can be used to focus a pulsed laser beam 2 into a laser beam focal line 2b of length 1 and directed into a glass substrate having an electrochromic layer 7 1. The optical components 6 may include, for example, an axicon lens 3 , a collimating lens 4 , and a focusing lens 5 . The focal length of each lens in the optical assembly can be varied to produce a laser beam focal line of the desired diameter and/or length. For example, focusing lens 5 may have a focal length ranging from about 10 mm to about 50 mm, such as from about 20 mm to about 40 mm, or from about 25 mm to about 30 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. Collimating lens 4 may similarly have a focal length ranging from about 50 mm to about 200 mm, such as from about 75 mm to about 150 mm, or from about 100 mm to about 125 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

In various non-limiting embodiments, an axicon lens 3 may be incorporated into an optical lens assembly 6 using an ultrashort Bessel beam (picosecond or femtosecond period) to produce high-intensity regions of high aspect ratios, eg, without tapered lasers Radiation Microchannel. Axicons are cone-cut lenses capable of forming point sources on a line along the optical axis (eg, converting a laser beam into a ring). Axicons and their configurations are known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, and may, for example, have taper angles ranging from about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees, such as from about 10 degrees to about 15 degrees, including all ranges and subsections therebetween scope.

Axicon lens 3 can focus a laser beam having an original diameter D1 (eg, about 1 to 5 mm, eg, about 2 to 3 mm) into a substantially cylindrical high intensity region and a high aspect ratio (eg, long length and small diameter), with a small diameter corresponding to, for example, the focal line diameter D as illustrated in Figure 2A. The high intensity generated in the concentrated laser beam can cause nonlinear interactions between the laser's electromagnetic field and the substrate, so that the laser energy is transferred to the substrate to affect the formation of defect lines. However, in substrate areas where the laser intensity is not high enough (eg, the area surrounding the central line of convergence), the substrate may be transparent to the laser so that there is no mechanism for transferring energy from the laser to the substrate material. Therefore, there may be no damage or change in the area of the glass substrate exposed to the laser intensity below the nonlinear threshold.

After a pulsed laser beam is used to create a profile including a plurality of defect lines or perforations, a second laser beam can optionally be used to separate the glass substrate into two or more sections. A second laser beam can be used as a heat source to create thermally stressed regions around the profile, the defect lines can be placed in tension and thus induced to separate. The second laser beam may emit any wavelengths where the glass substrate is not transparent, such as infrared wavelengths, eg, greater than about 1064 nm. In some embodiments, the second laser beam may emit wavelengths greater than about 5 μm, such as wavelengths greater than about 10 μm. Suitable infrared lasers may include, for example, _CO2 lasers, which may be modulated or unmodulated, and the like. Non-limiting examples of the second laser beam include, but are not limited to, modulated _CO2 lasers operating at wavelengths greater than about 10 μm, such as about 10.2 μm to about 10.7 μm, or from about 10.4 μm to about 10.6 μm, including All scopes and subscopes in between.

Referring to Figures 1A-1B, a second laser beam (not shown) may contact the first surface a of the glass substrate 130 and translate along the contour 110 to separate the glass substrate into two or more portions 130a, 130b . The second surface b may include an electrochromic layer 150 facing away from the surface a, which is in contact with the second laser beam. The second laser beam may generate areas of thermal stress on and around the contour 110, thereby inducing the separation of the glass substrate 130 along the contour 110 to create the separation portions 130a, 130b.

In some embodiments, exemplary power levels for the second laser beam may range from about 50 W to about 500 W, such as from about 100 W to about 400 W, from about 150 W to about 300 W, or from about 200 W to about 250 W, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. When operating in the continuous (eg, unmodulated) mode, the second laser beam may have a lower power than when operating in the modulated mode. For example, a continuous second laser beam can have power levels ranging from about 50 W to about 300 W, and a modulated second laser beam can have power levels ranging from about 200 W to about 500 W, although individual The laser power can vary and is not limited to the exemplary range given. In additional embodiments, the average spot diameter of the second laser beam may range from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, eg, from about 2 mm to about 9 mm, from about 3 mm to about 8 mm, from about 4 mm to about 7 mm, or from about 5 mm to about 6 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. The heat generated by the second laser beam can result in regions of thermal stress on and/or around the profile having diameters on the order of microns, eg, less than about 20 μm, eg, ranging from about 1 μm to about 20 μm, from about 2 μm to about 2 μm 15 μm, from about 3 μm to about 10 μm, from about 4 μm to about 8 μm, or from about 5 μm to about 6 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

According to various embodiments, the second laser beam may be modulated and may have a pulse period of less than about 200 microseconds, eg, greater than about 1 microsecond to less than about 200 microseconds, eg, ranging from about 5 microseconds to about 150 microseconds microseconds, from about 10 microseconds to about 100 microseconds, from about 20 microseconds to about 80 microseconds, from about 30 microseconds to about 60 microseconds, or from about 40 microseconds to about 50 microseconds, including All scopes and subscopes in between. According to various embodiments, the rise time of the modulated second laser beam may be less than about 150 microseconds, eg, ranging from about 10 microseconds to about 150 microseconds, from about 20 microseconds to about 100 microseconds, about 30 microseconds to about 80 microseconds, from about 40 microseconds to about 70 microseconds, or from about 50 microseconds to about 60 microseconds, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

In additional embodiments, the pulse repetition rate (or modulation speed) of the modulated second laser beam may range from about 1 kHz to about 100 kHz, such as from about 5 kHz to about 80 kHz, from about 10 kHz to about 60 kHz, from about 20 kHz to about 50 kHz, or from about 30 kHz to about 40 kHz, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. According to non-limiting embodiments, the pitch or periodic range between the second laser beam pulses may be from about 1 μm to about 100 μm, such as from about 5 μm to about 90 μm, from about 10 μm to about 80 μm, from about 20 μm to about 70 μm , from about 30 μm to about 60 μm, or from about 40 μm to about 50 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

In some embodiments, the first surface of the glass substrate can be contacted with the second laser beam in a single pass, or in other embodiments, multiple passes can be made. For example, the second laser beam can be translated relative to the glass substrate using anywhere from 1 to 10 passes (or vice versa), such as 2 to 9 passes, 3 to 8 passes, 4 to 7 passes, or 5 to 6 passes, including all ranges and subranges in between. The translation velocity can range from about 100 mm per second to about 1000 mm per second, for example from about 150 mm per second to about 900 mm per second, from about 200 mm per second to about 800 mm per second, from about 250 mm per second to about 700 mm per second, from about 300 mm per second to about 600 mm per second, or from about 400 mm per second to about 500 mm per second, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

Another aspect includes using any of the above treatments to create holes, voids, voids, or other discontinuities in the electrochromic layer on the substrate, while not damaging or limiting damage to the underlying substrate. In such embodiments, electrochromic layer 150 may be used to modify laser absorption or penetration depth. In some embodiments, the electrochromic layer 150 is placed in a colored or dark state to increase the absorption of the laser light, and in these embodiments, the laser can be tuned to a wavelength close to the light absorption wavelength of the electrochromic layer 150 wavelength. In such embodiments, the absorption of the electrochromic layer can aid in the modification of the electrochromic layer, can affect the laser penetration depth, or can increase or decrease the overall laser pulse power required to modify the glass or electrochromic layer.

When creating discontinuities in an electrochromic layer, the general goal is to create two or more electrically separate regions. Thus, discontinuous lines (defined as laser-formed lines that are specifically formed with two or more regions of an electrochromic layer on an electrically insulating substrate) are typically required to be continuous, meaning completely electrically disconnected from each other Two regions of the color-changing layer, and may require ablation of at least one layer of the electrochromic film. The laser power or energy levels required to create discontinuities in the electrochromic layer are typically much smaller than those required to create damage in the glass substrate. Pulsed or continuous lasers can be used. It may be advantageous to use a pulsed laser where the electrochromic material can be ablated without heating the electrochromic material or the substrate, avoiding damage to the toughness of the adjacent, retained electrochromic material or glass substrate. Further, the wavelength of the laser can advantageously target the absorption of the electrochromic film, whether in the luminous or dark state. Further, the beam can be focused via the substrate or against the substrate (depending on requirements).

In some embodiments, if pulsed, an exemplary laser power range may be from about 0.25 W to about 150 W, such as from about 0.25 W to about 50 W, or from about 1 W to about 100 W, including all ranges therebetween and sub-ranges. According to various embodiments, the pulsed laser beam may have a pulse period of from 100 nanoseconds to 10 femtoseconds, eg, about 100 picoseconds. In some embodiments, the pulsed laser beam has a pulse period from greater than about 1 picosecond to less than about 100 picoseconds, eg, ranging from about 5 picoseconds to about 50 picoseconds, from about 10 picoseconds to about 30 picoseconds , or from about 15 picoseconds to about 20 picoseconds, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. In additional embodiments, the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed laser beam may range from about 1 kHz to about 4 MHz, such as from about 10 kHz to about 650 kHz, from about 50 kHz to about 500 kHz, from about 100 kHz to About 400 kHz, or from about 200 kHz to about 300 kHz, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

Since the power levels used for discontinuity generation in electrochromic are much smaller, continuous laser sources can also be used. Power levels for continuous lasers are from about 0.25 W to about 150 W, such as from about 0.25 W to about 50 W, or from about 1 W to about 100 W, including all ranges and subranges therebetween, depending primarily on wavelength , focus, and the time the beam is aimed at a specific area.

The discontinuous line may be about the same width as the laser used to make the discontinuous line. The width of the discontinuous lines can range from about 0.1 μm to about 5 μm, such as from about 0.25 μm to about 4 μm, from about 0.5 μm to about 3.5 μm, from about 1 μm to about 3 μm, or from about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm, including All scopes and subscopes in between. In some embodiments, the width of the discontinuous line may be as large as the average spot diameter of the laser beam focal line. For example, the average spot diameter of the laser beam focal line may also range from about 0.1 μm to about 5 μm, such as from 0.25 μm to about 4 μm, from about 0.5 μm to about 3.5 μm, from about 1 μm to about 3 μm, or from about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. glass object

Disclosed herein is a glass object comprising a first surface, an opposite second surface, and an electrochromic coating disposed on at least a portion of the second surface, wherein after applying a voltage to the glass object, the coating portion of the glass substrate is The first region has a first visible light transmission that is less than the second visible light transmission of the second region of the coated portion. Referring to Figure 4A, a second surface of the glass article is illustrated, including the electrochromic layer on portions E (shaded) and uncoated portions U (unshaded) of the surface, separated by lines Z. According to various embodiments, the glass object of Fig. 4A can be laser processed using the methods disclosed herein to produce the glass object of Figs. 4B-4C, with any desired variations.

In some embodiments, the electrochromic layer includes one or more inorganic materials. In some embodiments, the electrochromic layer includes one or more tungsten oxides.

For example, a first pulsed laser may be used to generate contour A1 (dotted line), also referred to herein as a laser "scribing" or "piercing." The first pulsed laser and the second laser can be traced along contour B1 (double line) to separate the glass into two parts to produce the glass object depicted in Figure 4B and the uncoated remainder (not shown) . After applying a voltage to C1, C1 of coated portion E may be "colored" and/or may have reduced transmission compared to second region C2 of coated portion E (eg, for visible wavelengths 400 to 700 nm), The second region C2 may remain inactive and unaltered (or uncolored). Alternatively, if the voltage is applied to C2 and not to C1, it can be performed similarly to C1 above. Now both C1 and C2 can be colored independently of each other when the scribe lines electrically disconnect the layers from each other.

The laser scribing along contour A1 acts to create an electrical barrier to the electrochromic effect between C1 and C2. Thus, glass articles can include uncoated (eg, unpigmented) portions U and "new" unpigmented (but coated) regions C2 without exhibiting electrochromic effects after applying voltage to C1, even with electrochromic layer to coat (and vice versa). Laser scribing or perforation processing can thus be used to produce any desired pattern (including linear and curved profiles) on the glass substrate and patterns within the first and second regions. The outline or laser scribe can include a plurality of non-continuous lines as described above and can separate individual areas to produce any desired visual effect without significantly damaging the electrochromic layer on the glass substrate. The width of the discontinuous lines can range from about 0.1 μm to about 25 μm, such as from about 0.25 μm to about 10 μm, from about 0.5 μm to about 5 μm, from about 1 μm to about 3 μm, or from about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm, inclusive All scopes and subscopes.

In some embodiments, C2 may be undamaged or substantially undamaged by the laser. For example, the electrochromic coating and/or glass substrate in this area may not be damaged by the laser, or may exhibit laser damage in a very small area along the contour, as described in more detail below. Thus, in certain embodiments, the profile creates two or more activation devices from a single master. Because the laser cutting is precise and power controllable to produce very fine lines with minimal damage to the electrochromic film, the electrochromic layers in C1 and C2 are not damaged and consume very little electrochromic material.

In some embodiments, discontinuous formation in the electrochromic film may be used to eliminate tinting effects in certain areas of the article. Use to eliminate tinting effects in a given area of a coated substrate involves removing the coating, such as using laser ablation to "burn" away the coating in the desired area. However, these treatments can be imprecise and can result in damage to the electrochromic layer and large areas of the underlying glass substrate. For example, to ensure that the electrochromic layer is completely removed from the desired area, several passes can be made with a high power laser, which can result in broad areas (or streaks) of damage along the remaining electrochromic layer and/or damage to the underlying glass substrate ). Such laser damaged regions may have widths on the order of tens of millimeters, such as greater than about 20 mm, greater than about 25 mm, or even greater than about 30 mm.

Further disclosed herein is a glass article comprising a first surface, an opposite second surface, and an electrochromic coating disposed on substantially all of the second surface, wherein the electrochromic coating comprises laser damage to a peripheral area close to the glass At least one edge of the article, the laser damage perimeter area has a width of less than about 10, 1, or 0.1 mm. Referring again to Figure 4A, a first pulsed laser may be used to generate profile A2 (dashed line). The first pulsed laser and the second laser can be traced along contour B2 (double line) to separate the glass into two parts to produce the glass object depicted in Figure 4C. After application of the voltage, the first portion C1 of the coated portion E may become colored and/or may have reduced transmission compared to the second region C2 of the coated portion E (eg, for visible wavelengths 400 to 700 nm), the first The second region C2 may remain unchanged (or uncolored).

Unlike profile B1 which cuts through uncoated portion U, profile B2 cuts through coated portion E. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the laser cutting methods disclosed herein can separate coated glass articles with minimal damage to the electrochromic layer. The laser processing methods disclosed herein can result in a relatively small area (width of the profile) in which the electrochromic film is damaged by the laser and does not exhibit electrochromic effects after application of a voltage. For example, the laser dicing process can create a laser damaged area L along a relatively thin (eg, less than about 0.1 mm) dicing edge e. In some embodiments, the laser damage zone L may have a width of less than about 10 mm, 1 mm, or 0.1 mm, eg, less than about 9 mm, 8 mm, 5 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.09 mm , 0.08 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.06 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.01 mm, or less, eg, in the range from about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

The glass articles disclosed herein may have relatively small laser damaged areas compared to uncoated and/or damaged areas produced by comparative treatments. For example, a "cut and coat" process can result in significant uncoated areas due to interference from fixtures. Similarly, if the glass is coated and then cut using conventional water edge grinding methods, the damage (eg, blistering, etc.) to the electrochromic layer near the cut edge will be much greater. Further, if prior art methods were to be used to eliminate tinting effects on any part of the substrates (whether "cut and coat" or "coat and cut"), the area of laser damage created during the grinding process would be far larger (eg, 20 mm or more in width).

The glass articles herein may include at least one surface that, after application of a voltage, is substantially coated with a functional electrochromic layer, eg, edge-to-edge tinting, which was not previously possible using prior art methods. In certain embodiments, an electrochromic layer may be used to coat substantially all surfaces of a glass article, which may include one or more laser damaged regions (<0.01 along one or more edges of the article mm). For example, an electrochromic layer can be used to coat the surface of a glass substrate, and then the coated substrate can be separated along a single profile to remove any uncoated portions of the glass substrate (eg, due to a clamp). Thus, the resulting glass article can be substantially coated with an electrochromic layer and can include peripheral laser damage areas near the edges of the profile. In additional embodiments, the coated glass substrate may be split along more than one contour and the resulting glass article may include more than one laser damaged area. After applying the voltage, edge-to-edge coloring effects were observed, except for any laser damaged areas at the edges. However, such laser damaged areas may be relatively small compared to uncoated and/or damaged areas produced by prior art processes. According to various embodiments, the laser damaged area may comprise less than about 5% of the glass surface coating, eg, less than about 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, or 0.01%, including all ranges therebetween and sub-ranges, although the relative proportion of the surface occupied by the laser damaged area may increase as the size of the glass object decreases.

The glass articles disclosed herein may include any glass known in the art suitable for automotive, architectural, and other similar applications. Exemplary glass substrates may include, but are not limited to, aluminum silicates, alkali metal aluminosilicates, borosilicates, alkali borosilicates, aluminoborosilicates, alkali boroaluminosilicates, soda lime silicates salt, and other suitable glasses. In certain embodiments, the substrate can have a thickness ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm, such as from about 0.3 mm to about 5 mm, from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, or from about 1 mm to about 2 mm mm, including all ranges and subranges in between. Non-limiting examples of commercial glasses suitable for use as optical filters include, for example, EAGLE XG ^® , Iris TM , Lotus TM , Willow ^® , Gorilla ^® , HPFS ^® , and ULE ^® available from Corning Incorporated. Suitable glasses are disclosed, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 4,483,700, 5,674,790, and 7,666,511, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The substrate may include a glass sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface. In certain embodiments, the surface may be planar or substantially planar, eg, substantially flat and/or horizontal. In some embodiments, the substrate may also be curved about at least one radius of curvature, eg, a three-dimensional substrate, such as a convex or concave substrate. In various embodiments, the first and second surfaces may be parallel or substantially parallel. The substrate may further include at least one edge, eg, at least two edges, at least three edges, or at least four edges. By way of non-limiting example, the substrate may comprise a rectangular or square sheet having four edges, although other shapes and configurations are envisioned and intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. The laser cutting methods disclosed herein can also be used to create a variety of curved profiles and the resulting glass objects have curvatures such as non-linear edges.

The glass articles disclosed herein can be used to create a variety of products, such as insulating glass units (IGUs). For example, a glass article including at least a portion of the surface coated with an electrochromic layer can be sealed around the perimeter to a second glass sheet to create an IGU. Because glass objects can be cut to size and/or shape after coating with an electrochromic layer, the manufacture of these IGUs can have improved flexibility and/or reduced cost.

It should be understood that various disclosed embodiments may involve specific features, elements, or steps described in connection with a particular embodiment. It is also to be understood that although described in relation to one particular embodiment, the particular features, elements or steps may be interchanged or combined with alternative embodiments in various combinations or sequences not shown.

It should also be understood that the terms "the", "an (a)" or "an (an)" as used herein mean "at least one" and should not be limited to "only one" unless expressly indicated to the contrary. Thus, for example, reference to "a laser" includes instances with two or more such lasers, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, "plurality" is intended to mean "more than one". Therefore, "a plurality of defective lines" includes two or more of such defective lines, such as three or more of such defective lines, and the like.

Ranges can be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value and/or to "about" another particular value. When expressing such a range, examples include from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It is further understood that the endpoints of each range are significant relative to the other endpoint and independent of the other endpoints.

The terms "substantially," "substantially," and variations thereof as used herein are intended to indicate that the described feature is equal to or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a "substantially planar" surface is intended to indicate a planar or approximately planar surface.

Unless expressly stated, any presented method is not intended to be construed as requiring the steps of such method to be performed in a particular order. Accordingly, no particular order is intended to be inferred when a method claim does not actually describe the order followed by the steps of the method, or does not specifically state in the claim or specification that the steps are limited to a particular order.

Although the transitional phrase "comprising" may be used to disclose various features, elements, or steps of particular embodiments, it should be understood that alternative embodiments are implied, including use of the transitional phrase "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," the described embodiments. Thus, for example, an implied alternative embodiment to an item that includes A+B+C includes an embodiment of an item that consists of A+B+C and an embodiment of an item that consists primarily of A+B+C.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Because modified combinations, sub-combinations, and variations of the disclosed embodiments that incorporate the spirit and substance of the present disclosure may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, the present disclosure should be construed to include the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents everything within the realm of things.

1‧‧‧Substrate 1a‧‧‧First surface 1b‧‧‧Second surface 2‧‧‧Laser Beam 2a‧‧‧incident part 2b‧‧‧focal line of laser beam Section 2c‧‧‧ 3‧‧‧Axicon Lens 4‧‧‧Collimating lens 5‧‧‧Focusing lens 6‧‧‧Optical Components 7‧‧‧Electrochromic layer 110‧‧‧Outline 120‧‧‧Defective line 130‧‧‧Glass Substrate Section 130a‧‧‧ Section 130b‧‧‧ 140‧‧‧Pulse Laser 150‧‧‧Electrochromic layer A1‧‧‧Outline A2‧‧‧Outline B1‧‧‧Outline B2‧‧‧Outline C1‧‧‧First area C2‧‧‧Second area d‧‧‧Thickness D‧‧‧diameter D1‧‧‧Original diameter e‧‧‧Cutting edge E‧‧‧Coating part L‧‧‧Length L‧‧‧Length U‧‧‧Uncoated part Z‧‧‧line

The following detailed description can be further understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings wherein, wherever possible, like numerals are referred to like parts, it being understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Figures 1A-1B illustrate a contoured glass substrate including a plurality of defect lines;

Figures 2A-2B illustrate placement of a laser beam focal line to sense absorption along the focal line in a glass substrate;

FIG. 3 illustrates an optical assembly for focusing a laser beam into a laser beam focal line according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

Figures 4A-4C illustrate a glass substrate including electrochromic coated and uncoated regions in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

Domestic storage information (please note in the order of storage institution, date and number) None

Foreign deposit information (please note in the order of deposit country, institution, date and number) None

110‧‧‧Outline

120‧‧‧Defective line

130‧‧‧Glass Substrate

Section 130a‧‧‧

Section 130b‧‧‧

140‧‧‧Pulse Laser

150‧‧‧Electrochromic layer

Claims (20)

An electrochromic glass article comprising: a. a glass substrate comprising: i. a first surface, ii. an opposing second surface, and iii. one or more edges, wherein the one or more edges at least one or more of which includes a laser-cut edge; b. an electrochromic coating i. is disposed on at least a portion of the second surface, and ii. includes at least two electrically discontinuous regions, each electrically discontinuous region has an outline; and wherein the two electrically discontinuous regions are separated by a laser-modified discontinuous line having a width from 0.1 μm to 25 μm, and wherein The electrochromic coating includes a laser-damaged peripheral area, the laser-damaged peripheral area is directly adjacent to the laser cutting edge, and the laser-damaged peripheral area has a width less than 0.1 mm. The electrochromic glass article of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic coating comprises tungsten oxide. The electrochromic glass article of claim 1, wherein the electrically discontinuous regions are substantially free from laser damage. The electrochromic glass article of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the glass substrate near the laser-modified discontinuous line is substantially free from laser damage. The electrochromic glass article of claim 4, wherein the profile of at least one of the at least two electrically discontinuous regions is non-linear. The electrochromic glass object of claim 1, wherein the laser cutting discontinuity is a continuous line formed by a laser having a FWHM from ^10-10 to ^10-15 seconds Pulse Width. The electrochromic glass object of claim 1, wherein the second area includes a pattern in the first area or the first area includes a pattern in the second area. The electrochromic glass article of claim 1, wherein the glass article comprises a glass sheet having a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 10 mm. The electrochromic glass article of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two electrically discontinuous regions comprises a region of the second surface proximate the one or more edges of the glass substrate. The electrochromic glass article of claim 9, wherein the electrically discontinuous region near the one or more edges of the glass substrate has a width of less than 0.1 mm. The electrochromic glass article of claim 9, wherein the electrically discontinuous area proximate the one or more edges of the glass substrate comprises 5% or less of the coated portion of the glass article. A glass article, comprising a first surface, an opposite second surface, and an electrochromic coating, the electrochromic coating is disposed on substantially all of the second surface, wherein the electrochromic coating comprises A laser-damaged peripheral area is directly adjacent to at least one laser-cut edge of the glass object, and the laser-damaged peripheral area has a width less than 0.1 mm. The glass article of claim 12, wherein the laser-damaged peripheral area includes 5% or less of the second surface of the glass article. The glass article of claim 12, wherein the at least one edge has a linear or curved profile. The glass article of claim 12, wherein the glass article comprises a glass sheet having a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 10 mm. The glass article of claim 12, wherein a coated portion of the second surface includes a first region and a second region, and Wherein after applying the voltage to the glass object, the first region has a first visible light transmission, and the first visible light transmission is smaller than a second visible light transmission of the second region. The glass article of claim 16, wherein the first and second regions are separated by a discontinuous line comprising one or more laser lines. The glass article of claim 17, wherein the profile is linear or curved. An insulating glass unit comprising the electrochromic glass article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11. An insulating glass unit comprising the glass article of any one of claims 12 to 17.

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