Glass manufacturing – Processes – Fusion bonding of glass to a formed part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-11-13
Colaianni, Michael (Department: 1731)
Glass manufacturing
Processes
Fusion bonding of glass to a formed part
C065S060200, C065S060800, C156S089110, C156S099000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314759
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of bonding glass members for bonding a bonding surface of a member made of glass or the like, a part of or the whole bonding surface being formed with a metal film, to another glass member.
Background Art
As a method of bonding glass members, there have conventionally been known a method in which they are bonded together by fusion therebetween, a method in which they are bonded to each other by way of low-melting glass, a method in which an organic adhesive is used for bonding, and the like. The bonding method by fusion between glass members is a method comprising the steps of mirror-polishing the bonding surfaces of glass members, and then holding them by closely pressing them against each other at an appropriate temperature, so that the glass members are mutually fused together. The bonding method by way of low-melting glass is a method comprising the steps of interposing between glass members at a specific bonding temperature the low-melting glass having a viscosity lower than that of the glass members to be bonded together, and then bonding the glass members together by annealing. The bonding method by use of an organic adhesive is a method in which an organic adhesive such as polyvinyl butyral is interposed between the bonding surfaces of glass members, so that the glass members are bonded together. Using these methods can firmly bond the glass members together.
Disclosure of the Invention
Meanwhile, the recent progress in thin-film forming technique has been remarkable, thus making it possible to form a metal film on surfaces of glass members. A glass member having a surface formed with a metal film has become one which can be utilized as a variety of optical components, since the metal film acts as a reflecting layer. For example, when a plurality of glass members
1
each having a surface formed with a metal film
3
as shown in
FIG. 24
are arranged side by side and bonded together, an optical window
2
having a stripe-like reflecting layer such as that shown in
FIG. 25
can be formed. For example, the optical window
2
having a stripe-like reflecting layer is connected to the light entrance face of a photomultiplier and used for detecting the light intensity at each entrance position of light.
When a method indicated in the above-mentioned background art is used in the case where a glass member having a surface formed with a metal film is to be bonded to another glass member, however, there may be seen such a phenomenon that their bonding surfaces easily peel off or the metal film is damaged and thereby fails to act as a reflecting layer. As a consequence, optical components such as optical windows or electron tubes made by use of the above-mentioned conventional methods have been inferior in terms of durability, thus being problematic in practice.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of bonding glass members which overcomes the above-mentioned problems and, when a bonding surface of a member such as glass having the bonding surface formed with a metal film is to be bonded to another glass member, the bonding surface would not easily peel off and the metal film would not be damaged.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the method of bonding glass members in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of forming a film made of SiO
2
on at least a part of a bonding surface of a first member made of glass or the like, a part of or the whole bonding surface being formed with a metal film; and then hot-pressing a second glass member against the bonding surface at a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature.
As the second glass member is hot-pressed by way of the SiO
2
film against the bonding surface of the first member made of glass or the like having its bonding surface formed with a metal film, the two glass members are firmly bonded together, the bonding surface would be less likely to peel off, and the metal film would not be damaged.
In the method of bonding glass members in accordance with the present invention, the film made of SiO
2
may be formed by CVD technique (chemical vapor deposition technique).
In the method of bonding glass members in accordance with the present invention, the second glass member may be made of glass containing at least one kind of alkali element, while the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first member made of glass or the like and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second glass member may be within the range of −1.0−10
−6
to +1.0×10
−6
/° C.
In the method of bonding glass members in accordance with the present invention, the first member made of glass or the like is preferably formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, sapphire, spinel, ceramics, silicon, and group III-V compound semiconductors.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3962597 (1976-06-01), Clark et al.
patent: 4608293 (1986-08-01), Wada et al.
patent: 5038242 (1991-08-01), Fukushima et al.
patent: 5267113 (1993-11-01), Matsushita et al.
patent: 5683480 (1997-11-01), Taniguchi
patent: 5725626 (1998-03-01), Taniguchi
patent: 5785874 (1998-07-01), Eda
patent: 5834885 (1998-11-01), Itoh et al.
patent: 5876614 (1999-03-01), Zhou et al.
patent: 48-032171 (1973-10-01), None
patent: 51-024612 (1976-02-01), None
patent: 62-297369 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 62-297247 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 62-297370 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 63-379 (1988-01-01), None
patent: 2-92685 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 5-56789 (1993-03-01), None
Kingery et al, Introduction to Ceramics, p. 630, section 12.5, 1976.
Colaianni Michael
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
LandOfFree
Method of bonding glass members does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of bonding glass members, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of bonding glass members will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2572191