Edge rounding of a substrate is used to stabilize the wafer and allow it to carry out its main function. Through different masking techniques, a different amount of material can be removed from one side than the other, allowing the substrate to have some edges rounded while others sharp. For the purpose of wafers, however, it is best to round them all.

The process of edge rounding can be used to clean a slag from either or both sides of lasered parts. It also chamfers square or round holes, and could also make any shape. These benefits are available thankfully without the associated risks that come with traditional high velocity blasting techniques. It has also become adapted to most materials, including AIN, BeO, Glass, Quartz, Fused Silica and other various hard or semi-hard materials.

Edge rounding processes can be used for smoothing the edges of not just substrates, but can also be used on microchips and windows. There are multiple different techniques that can be used in order to achieve the desired results, whether the material be as large as a glass window or as small as a microchip. They include the following:

• Edge beveling
• Edge blending
• Edge chamfering
• Edge deburring
• Edge lapping
• Edge polishing
• Edge rounding
• Edge shaping
• Enhanced (Whether using edge rounding or contouring)
• Laser slag removal
• Prepare edges for circuit wraparound and such applications
• Sharp corner rounding and deburring

As far as controlling the rounding, it is controllable to a degree by a few microns. This has become adaptable to most materials, including but not limited to Ceramics, Glass, Fused quartz-Silica, Silicon, Aluminum Nitride, hard metals, and more. Edge rounding applies to many various hard and semi-hard materials as well. For this reason, it’s a very useful purpose.