US 12,285,811 B2
Method of machining brittle materials
Zi Jie Choong, Tyne and Wear (GB); Dehong Huo, Tyne and Wear (GB); Patrick Degenaar, Tyne and Wear (GB); and Anthony O′Neill, Tyne and Wear (GB)
Assigned to University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (GB)
Appl. No. 16/339,087
Filed by University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (GB)
PCT Filed Oct. 6, 2017, PCT No. PCT/GB2017/053027
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 3, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/065783, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 12, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1616955 (GB), filed on Oct. 6, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0039109 A1, Feb. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. B23C 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B23C 3/00 (2013.01) [B23C 2220/00 (2013.01); B23C 2226/27 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of cutting a channel in a brittle material comprising:
providing a composite material in which a layer of ductile material is arranged on a surface of a brittle material; and
cutting a channel having a length through the layer of ductile material, removing a portion of the ductile material that is arranged over a portion of the brittle material that is to be cut, and into the brittle material to provide a machined composite;
wherein:
the channel is cut by milling, grinding, turning, drilling, or fly cutting;
the ductile material is an acrylic polymer or an epoxy resin;
the brittle material is monocrystalline silicon;
at least a portion of the length of the channel is cut along the <100> direction of the monocrystalline silicon; and
the layer of ductile material is from 25 to 500 μm thick.