The technical difficulty of glass laser welding
Release time：2026.01.14
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Glass laser welding is an advanced process with high technical demands and difficulty, primarily reflected in the following aspects:
Challenges arising from material properties
Transparency: Glass exhibits high transmittance for most laser wavelengths, making it difficult for laser energy to be absorbed and effectively form a molten pool on the surface or inside.
High brittleness and low thermal expansion coefficient: Glass is sensitive to temperature changes, and localized heating can easily lead to thermal stress concentration, causing cracks or even breakage.
Complex chemical composition: Different types of glass (such as silicates, borates, etc.) exhibit significant variations in laser absorption rates and thermal responses, requiring tailored process adjustments.
The process control requirements are extremely high
Precise laser parameter matching: Specific wavelengths of laser (e.g., femtosecond laser, mid-infrared CO₂ laser) must be selected to achieve energy deposition through nonlinear absorption or surface modification.
Thermal management challenges: precise control of heat input is required to achieve "selective melting" rather than overall heating, avoiding the expansion of the heat-affected zone.
High precision alignment is required: The glass welding gap must be controlled to the micron level and maintained in absolute cleanliness to prevent bubbles or defects.
Equipment and Cost Thresholds
Specialized laser systems are required: typically ultrafast lasers (femtosecond/ picosecond lasers) or mid-infrared lasers with specific wavelengths are needed, and the equipment is expensive.
Environmental requirements are stringent: operation must be conducted in a dust-free, temperature-controlled environment, supported by high-precision motion control systems and real-time monitoring equipment (such as high-speed cameras and infrared temperature sensors).
The difficulty of glass laser welding is far greater than that of metal or plastic welding, making it a typical high-end precision manufacturing technology. It requires comprehensive knowledge from multiple disciplines such as materials science, optics, and thermodynamics, and relies on high-precision equipment and stringent process control. Currently, this technology has been applied in fields such as high-end optics, medical devices, and semiconductor packaging, but large-scale industrialization still faces challenges like high costs and narrow process windows.
