SBIR Phase I: Micro Laser Assisted Machining

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将展示概念验证并确定微型激光辅助加工（micro-LAM）工艺的可行性，该工艺将减少时间，成本和工作量，并扩展与硬脆半导体和陶瓷加工相关的能力。 拟议的研究是独一无二的，研究团队完全有资格围绕这一创新工艺进行可行性研究，该工艺将激光器与金刚石切割工具以混合封装的方式耦合，以进行半导体和工程陶瓷的精密加工。 将基于实验室规模的实验室配置进行实验，以测试和评估微LAM工艺和系统在工业处理设备上的工业设置中的可行性。工具磨损，加工材料的表面光洁度和亚表面损伤数据，作为激光和工艺参数的函数，将相对于微LAM工艺的潜力进行评估，以开发成一个成功的商业产品。 该项目的总体结果将是一种具有成本效益的方法，用于生产由先进半导体和工程陶瓷制造的有用且商业上可行的消费品和工业产品。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将发生在半导体领域。（微电子）制造，以及光学制造（镜子和窗户）和精密机械产品（例如轴承和密封件），这些产品需要先进半导体和工程陶瓷材料的上级特性来实现所需性能。 微LAM技术提供了一种新的方法来实现加工这些坚硬且名义上易碎的材料所需的高压和高温。 这项技术将使目前由于加工或使用限制而不可行或无法实现的材料和产品的生产具有全新的能力。 这种新方法在新兴技术中具有潜在的应用，例如风力涡轮机和插电式电动汽车，这些技术需要先进设备的高功率和高温运行。 包括金刚石车削、铣削和钻孔机床在内的服务市场约为45亿美元。微型LAM技术最初将针对现有（约10，000台）和新（1.5亿美元/年）的金刚石车削机床作为附加配件。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate proof of concept and determine the feasibility of a micro-laser assisted machining (micro-LAM) process that will both reduce the time, cost, and effort, and extend the capability, associated with machining of hard and brittle semiconductors and ceramics. The proposed research is unique, and the research team is well-qualified to perform the feasibility research around this innovative process, which couples a laser to a diamond cutting tool in a hybrid package arrangement to perform precision machining of semiconductors and engineered ceramics. Experiments will be conducted, based upon a bench scale laboratory configuration, to test and evaluate the micro-LAM process and system for feasibility in an industrial setting on industrial processing equipment. Tool wear, machined material surface finish and subsurface damage data, as a function of laser and process parameters, will be evaluated relative to the potential for the micro-LAM process to be developed into a successful commercial product. The overall result of this project will be a cost-effective method for the production of useful and commercially viable consumer and industrial products manufactured from advanced semiconductors and engineered ceramics.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will occur in semiconductor (micro-electronic) manufacturing, and for manufacturing of optical (mirror and windows) and precision mechanical products (e.g. bearings and seals), where the superior properties of advanced semiconductor and engineered ceramic materials are required to achieve the desired performance. The micro-LAM technology offers a new way to realize the high pressures and temperatures that are needed for processing these hard and nominally brittle materials. This technology will enable entirely new capabilities for production of materials and products currently not viable or achievable due to processing or use limitations. The new method has potential applications to emerging technologies, such as wind turbines and plug-in electric vehicles, where high-power and high-temperature operation of advanced devices is required. The served available market that includes machine tools for diamond turning, milling, and drilling is approximately $4.5 billion. The micro-LAM technology will initially target existing (~10,000 units) and new ($150 million/year) diamond turning machines as an add-on accessory.