Singulation of optical devices from optical device substrates via laser ablation

A method and apparatus for dicing optical devices from a substrate are described herein. The method includes the formation of a plurality of trenches using radiation pulses delivered to the substrate. The radiation pulses are delivered in a pattern to form trenches with varying depth as the trenches extend outward from a top surface of the optical device. The varying depth of the trenches provides edges of each of the optical devices which are slanted. The radiation pulses are UV radiation pulses and are delivered in bursts around the silhouette of the optical devices.