Glass/metal laser welding: borosilicate & aluminium

Reliably joining thermally and mechanically incompatible materials – borosilicate glass and aluminium – while ensuring a high level of mechanical strength, hermeticity and transparency. The challenge is to control a sensitive interface subjected to high thermal stresses.

Development of a transmission welding process using ultrashort pulse lasers. The solution creates a direct bond at the glass/metal interface without additives or intermediate thermal processes, while finely controlling the laser-material interaction.

Controlling complex joint geometries and forming stable volumetric weld seams at the interface. The process must ensure the durability of the assembly despite the large differences in thermal expansion between the materials.

The process produces transparent weld seams with very high mechanical strength and excellent resistance to thermal cycling. It also provides effective thermal insulation, competitive cycle times and no need for post-processing.