High-Performance Micromachining of Glass using Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) for Mems Applications

本研究的目的是创建一个新的，混合，和高性能的微加工工艺的非导电脆性硬材料，如玻璃，石英和某些陶瓷，并揭示基本的材料去除机制和微观现象，在这些材料的微加工。该方法包括实验观察，基于物理的建模和模拟的材料去除过程中，由于热腐蚀，化学溶解或蚀刻，机械切削，和超声波工具振动。一个材料去除模型的基础上合成的贡献，从这些材料去除机制将被写入这个建议的新的微加工工艺。 然后，该模型将被用来设计和优化一个强大的微加工样品脆硬材料的过程。如果成功，该项目将扩大由非导电脆硬材料制成的微元件在微流体系统和微机电系统等新兴领域的潜在应用。这种新的混合工艺将允许在许多难以加工的材料上进行复杂微特征的成本有效的加工。实现这些新的微加工能力的好处包括为生物医学应用、微电子和科学研究创造新的更好的设备。本研究将拓展先进的传热学和微观多相流模拟技术的工程应用，以进一步理解电化学放电现象。

The objective of this research is to create a novel, hybrid, and high performance micromachining process for electrically non-conductive brittle hard materials such as glass, quartz and certain ceramics, and to reveal the fundamental material removal mechanisms and microscopic phenomena in micromachining of these materials. The approach includes experimental observations, physics-based modeling and simulation of the material removal processes due to thermal erosion, chemical dissolution or etching, mechanical cutting, and ultrasonic tool vibration. A material removal model based on synthesizing the contributions from each of these material removal mechanisms will be written for this proposed novel micromachining process. This model will then be utilized to design and optimize a robust process for micromachining sample brittle hard materials. If successful, this project would widen the potential applications of micro components made of non-conductive brittle hard materials in emerging fields such as micro-fluidic systems and micro-electromechanical systems. This novel hybrid process will allow the cost effective machining of complex micro-features on many difficult-to-machine materials. The benefits of achieving these new micromachining capabilities include the creation of new and better devices for biomedical applications, microelectronics, and scientific research investigation. This research will extend the engineering application of advanced heat transfer and micro multiphase flow modeling techniques to further understand electrochemical discharge phenomenon.