Ultraprecision machining of micro-structured functional surfaces on brittle materials

Abstract

Ultraprecision micro-structured functional surfaces on hard and brittle materials, e.g. ceramic and glass, are gaining increasing application in a range of areas such as engineering optics and semiconductor and biomedical products. However, due to their tendency of being damaged in brittle fracture in machining, it is challenging to achieve both a high surface finish and complex surface shapes. In this paper, ultraprecision machining of micro-structured functional surfaces on brittle materials by fast tool servo diamond turning is studied. A machining model has been developed to ensure ductile regime machining of the brittle material, in which the material is removed by both plastic deformation and brittle fracture, but the cracks produced are prevented from being extended into the finished surface. Based on the model, an iterative numerical method has been proposed to predict the maximum feed rate for producing crack-free micro-structured surfaces. Machining experiments on typical micro-structured functional surfaces have been carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method for producing ultraprecision micro-structured functional surfaces. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.