Laser Photonics, a developer of high-tech solid state and CO2 laser systems for marking, cutting and engraving applications, has created a new laser-based oven-less process for annealing glass coatings.
Traditionally, to anneal a coating on glass, the coating had to be applied to the glass, baked at 600 degrees Celsius and then cooled for three to four hours. Using this new oven-less annealing process developed by Laser Photonics, the coating is applied to the glass, and then a laser beam is swept over the surface to anneal. The heat-affected zone is limited, and the material can be handled relatively soon after the annealing is complete.
With this new process, light-transmission efficiency is increased by 35%, the company says. Additionally, the process lowers the electrical surface resistance, prevents de-lamination and performs recrystalization of the glass. Glass that has been coated and annealed can be used for solar panels, among other potential uses.
SOURCE: Laser Photonics
