UV laser cutting or shape modification of brittle, high melting temperature target materials such as ceramics or glasses

摘要

A UV laser (102) cuts ceramics or glasses such as the alumina or ceramic of sliders (10), and particularly separates rows (60) or sliders (10) or rounds edges (66, 82, 86). A preferred process entails covering the surfaces of wafers (50), rows (60), or sliders (10) with a sacrificial layer; removing a portion of the sacrificial layer to create uncovered zones along existing edges or over intended edges; laser cutting wafers (50) into rows (60) or rows (60) into sliders (50); laser rounding edges (66, 68, 82, 84, and/or 86), and/or corners (85 and/or 87); cleaning debris from the uncovered zones; and removing the sacrificial layer. Although a preferred laser is a Q-switched, UV solid-state laser (100) providing imaged and/or shaped output at a bite size of between about 1 to 7 &mgr;m, other lasers including excimers can be employed.