The objective of this work is the development of a laser supported process, to enable the modification of the electrical & thermal properties of glass on a local scale. The principle of the process is based on the local melting of the glass by a CO2 laser beam & the addition of an additive to the molten area at the surface. During solidification a metal-glass composite is formed with modified material properties compared to the bulk material. Soda-lime-silica glass & fused silica were treated with metal powders of tungsten & nickel. The resulting conductivity of the laser tracks ranges from 1x10-5 /m to 1x10-4/m. The electrically conducting path at the surface can be used for the manufacture of heating elements in functional glass with operating temperatures up to 400 C, the brazing of glass or for high current resistance pathways.
