The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Machining of silicon wafers with an abrasive water jet cutter
Author:	Marciniak, Frank J.
View Online:	njit-etd1994-107 (xi, 149 pages ~ 3.8 MB pdf)
Department:	Manufacturing Engineering Division
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Geskin, E. S. (Committee chair) Ravindra, N. M. (Committee member) Sodhi, R. S. (Committee member)
Date:	1994-01
Keywords:	Water jet cutting. Ceramic materials. Ceramics cutting. Ceramics--Finishing. Silicon.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	This thesis consists of a study of the effects of abrasive water jet cutting on brittle silicon substrates. In total, 26 different cuts were made in a single crystal silicon substrate with an abrasive water jet cutter under different conditions of water flow, water pressure, and abrasive flow rate. These cuts were analyzed for surface roughness, and microstructure. The roughness measurements were compared in order to determine the best possible cutting conditions. The cut with the best roughness of 0.000170 inches was obtained under cutting conditions of 30 KSI water pressure, 1 inch/minute cutting speed, and an abrasive flow rate of 56 grams/minute. Other trends in the data show the optimum cutting speed to be between 1 and 2 inches/ minute. The water pressure of 30 KSI achieved better results than the 50 KSI presures under similar cutting conditions . At both 50KSI and 30 KSI, low abrasive flow rates result in better roughness values.