Shaping a glass substrate after cutting

Abstract

A method includes projecting a first energy beam onto an annular edge of a glass substrate. A first portion of the annular edge of the glass substrate is removed with the first energy beam. Removing the first portion increases the roundness of the annular edge of the glass substrate. A second energy beam is projected onto the annular edge of the glass substrate. A second portion of the annular edge of the glass substrate is removed with the second energy beam. Removing the second portion increases the roundness of the annular edge of the glass substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an energy source positioned to create an energy beam along an exposed edge of a glass substrate, wherein the energy beam shapes the exposed edge of the glass substrate by removing portions of the exposed edge of the glass substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy beam is a laser beam or a plasma column. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising another energy source positioned to create an additional energy beam along the exposed edge of the glass substrate, wherein the additional energy beam further shapes the exposed edge of the glass substrate by removing additional portions of the exposed edge of the glass substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a beam splitter positioned to create an additional energy beam from the energy source, and
 a mirror positioned to direct the additional energy beam along the exposed edge of the glass substrate, wherein the additional energy beam further shapes the exposed edge of the glass substrate by removing additional portions of the exposed edge of the glass substrate.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a Diffractive Optics, Micro-lens Arrays and Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) positioned to bend the energy beam to shape the glass substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy beam is a plasma column, and further comprising a laser source to create a laser to guide the plasma column. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is positioned tangential to the exposed edge of the glass substrate. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 generating an energy column with an energy source, wherein the energy source is stationary;   rotating an edge of a glass substrate through the energy column; and   removing portions of the edge of the glass substrate with the energy column.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the energy column is a laser beam or a plasma column. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 generating an additional energy column with an additional energy source;   rotating the edge of a glass substrate through the additional energy column; and   removing further portions of the edge of the glass substrate with the additional energy column.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 splitting an additional energy column from the energy column;   rotating the edge of a glass substrate through the additional energy column; and   removing further portions of the edge of the glass substrate with the additional energy column.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 moving the energy column with a first mirror; and   moving the additional energy column with a second mirror.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising bending a portion of the energy column, wherein the edge of the glass substrate rotates through the bent portion of the energy column. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the energy column is generated tangential to the edge of the glass substrate. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 projecting a first energy beam onto an annular edge of a glass substrate;   removing a first portion of the annular edge of the glass substrate with the first energy beam, wherein the removing the first portion increases the roundness of the annular edge of the glass substrate;   projecting a second energy beam onto the annular edge of the glass substrate; and   removing a second portion of the annular edge of the glass substrate with the second energy beam, wherein the removing the second portion increases the roundness of the annular edge of the glass substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising rotating the glass substrate through the first energy beam and the second energy beam. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising projecting an incoming energy beam into a beam splitter, wherein the beam splitter splits the incoming energy beam into the first energy beam and the second energy beam. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising bending the first energy beam and the second energy beam. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the energy beam is a laser beam or a plasma column. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising shaping a profile of the first energy beam with a mask feature.