Patent ID: 8168514

Claim:
A method of separating a sheet of coated brittle material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of layered brittle material comprising a brittle layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 300 μm and a coating material adhered to a surface of the brittle layer; and cutting the coating material and separating the brittle layer into separate pieces which are not connected to one another by applying a laser along a separation line on the sheet; wherein: (a) the brittle layer is a glass sheet, a ceramic sheet, or a glass ceramic sheet; (b) the separating comprises inducing a stress fracture within the brittle layer via the laser simultaneous with the cutting step; (c) the simultaneous cutting of the coating material and separating of the brittle layer into separate pieces is performed without mechanical contact with a scoring or cutting tool either prior to or during the applying of the laser along the separation line; and (d) as a result of the simultaneity of the cutting of the coating material and the separating of the brittle layer, substantial particulate debris does not remain along the separation line.