STTR Phase I: Shaping and Slicing of Germanium Boules through Wire-Electron Discharge Machining (EDM) for Reduced Subsurface Damage and Increased Productivity

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将提供一个实验装置，能够非常详细地研究用线切割工艺加工锗晶锭。与犹他州大学的研究合作将使人们能够在非常基础的水平上探索使用电火花线切割加工锗。这种合作的结果将是关键的加工参数，如电压，电流，脉冲时间等的确定加工表面的质量，测量平面度，深度的亚表面损伤等拟议的研究活动将推进放电加工的知识，这将导致在未来更增强的制造能力。如果成功，拟议的研究将为半导体材料提供新的知识和制造能力。作为一个直接的结果，该项目的一个可能的结果将消除美国对外国供应商的高精度锗晶片的依赖，这些晶片被用作GaAs多结太阳能电池的衬底，这些太阳能电池为几乎所有美国的天基国防、民用和商业卫星提供动力。该项目的结果将使该公司能够为美国制造业提供一种替代方法来塑造脆性半导体材料，从而提高生产率，更可靠的产品，并在低技术，低工资的竞争对手中获得竞争优势。 如果经济地进行，这种“绿色”工艺将减少浪费并进一步降低制造成本。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will deliver an experimental setup capable of studying the machining of germanium boules with a wire-EDM process in great detail. The research collaboration with the University of Utah will allow the use of wire-EDM for machining of germanium to be explored at a very fundamental level. The outcome of this collaboration will be the identification of critical machining parameters such as voltage, current, pulse-on time, etc. on the quality of the machined surfaces as measured by flatness, depth of subsurface damage, etc. The proposed research activities will advance the knowledge of electro-discharge machining that will lead to even more enhanced manufacturing capabilities in the future. If successful the proposed research will contribute new knowledge and manufacturing capabilities for semiconductor materials. As a direct result a possible outcome of this project will the elimination of U.S. dependency on foreign suppliers for high precision germanium wafers which are used as substrates for GaAs multi-junction solar cells that power virtually all U.S. space-based defense, civil, and commercial satellites. The result of this project will enable the company to supply the American manufacturing industry with an alternative method to shape brittle semiconductor materials that will result in higher productivity, more reliable products, and a competitive advantage over its low-tech, low-wage competitors. If performed economically, this "green" process will reduce waste and further reduce manufacturing cost.