The Mechanics of Nanometric Cutting

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There is an ever-increasing interest in the ability to manufacture to dimensional accuracies in the nanometer range and to attain surfaces with atomic level smoothness, free of residual stresses and metallurgical defects. One process used to achieve sub-micrometer accuracies is single point diamond turning (SPDT). This project is to build two highly-specialized instruments which will allow cutting with single-point diamond tools down to depths of cut approaching atomic dimensions (less than 1 nm). These instruments will be used in a series of experiments on ductile and brittle materials to provide a more fundamental understanding of nanometric cutting. The work will enable investigation of the physics of material removal at the nanometer scale and, in addition, could provide the basis for tribological studies at this scale. Ultraprecision machining technology will allow manufacturers to produce more precise components for mechanical systems and to produce higher quality substrates for semiconductor materials and devices.