Fabrication of ultra-thin glass sheet by weight-controlled load-assisted precise thermal stretching

• DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2021.112604
• Publication Date: 2021-02-07T02:47:20Z
• Authors: Yapeng Yuan; Yaxiaer Yalikun; Satoshi Amaya; Yusufu Aishan; Yigang Shen; Yo Tanaka
• Keywords: Microsystem

Glass is a common material used in various microsystems including sensors, actuators, and microfluidic devices due to its extraordinary properties. However, lack of flexibility elasticity limits potential for further applications. To solve this issue, thinning the thick glass plate few microns solution. conventional methods plates are complex, risky, time-consuming, difficult implementation at laboratory level. This paper reports an efficient convenient fabrication method independent ultra-thin sheet (UTGS) (≤ 3 μm, world's thinnest) by utilizing weight-controlled load-assisted (WCL-assisted) thermal stretching. Unlike other requiring full melting material, key point proposed using WCL precisely stretch commercial achieve desired thickness. fabricate UTGSs thicknesses, experimental conditions temperatures (630°C–700°C), cooling times (1.5 h–2.5 h), weights loads (1 g–9 g) were investigated. Furthermore, advantage fabricated UTGS indicator applications micro-systems was proven fabricating pressure having higher sensitivity than presently available devices. For same working conditions, maximum new improved 86.8 % compared with previously obtained.