The objective of this study is to propose a photocatalysis-assisted chemical mechanical polishing (PCMP) method for atomic smoothing SiC wafer based on the powerful oxidability of UV photo-excited hydroxyl radical on nano-TiO₂ particles. The study identifies five slurries of different photocatalyst, electron capturer, UV light, and pH value by measuring oxidation reduction potential and static oxidation experiment. After PCMP process, a SiC wafer is examined with optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for information on surface finish and quality, material removal and mechanisms. The study demonstrates that photocatalyst, UV light, electron capturer, and acid environment are necessaries for PCMP process. Among the five PCMP slurries, the one with 1 g of TiO₂, 0.3 g of (NaPO₃)₆, 10 ml H₂O₂, 5 g SiO₂ abrasives under UV light irradiation provides the highest material removal rate of 0.95 µm/h and the best surface finish (Ra = 0.35 nm) and surface quality. It then discusses how UV light irradiation promotes the chemical oxidation of hydroxyl radical with SiC by forming “Si–C–O,” “Si–O,” “C–O,” and “C˭O” on SiC surface. The study concludes that the proposed PCMP is effective and clean manufacturing method for SiC wafer without releasing toxic chemicals to environment and human health.

An innovative method for high-speed micro-dicing of SiC has been proposed using two types of diamond dicing blades, a resin-bonded dicing blade and a metal-bonded dicing blade. The experimental research investigated the radial wear of the dicing blade, the maximum spindle current, the surface morphology of the SiC die, the number of chips longer than 10 µm, and the chipped area, which depend on the dicing process parameters such as spindle speed, feed speed, and cutting depth. The chipping fractures in the SiC had obvious brittle fracture characteristics. The performance of the metal-bonded dicing blade was inferior to that of the resin-bonded dicing blade. The cutting depth has the greatest influence on the radial wear of the dicing blade, the maximum spindle current, and the damage to the SiC wafer. The next most important parameter is the feed speed. The parameter with the least influence is the spindle speed. The main factor affecting the dicing quality is blade vibration caused by spindle vibration. The optimal SiC dicing was for a resin-bonded dicing blade with a spindle speed of 20 000 rpm, a feed speed of 4 mm/s, and a cutting depth of 0.1 mm. To improve dicing quality and tool performance, spindle vibrations should be reduced. This approach may enable high-speed dicing of SiC wafers with less dicing damage.

This paper presents an innovative method for high-speed micro-cutting of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). It employs a diamond dicing blade for micromachining applications, with a thickness of about 200 μm and rotational speeds up to 30,000 rpm so as to meet the low-damage surface integrity requirements. The process parameters, cutting damage, surface roughness, and the spindle vibration were thoroughly investigated to evaluate and validate the method. The results indicate that a high cutting speed up to 76 m/s not only remarkably increases the rigidity of an ultra-thin dicing blade, but also decreases the cutting depth per diamond grit to below 10 nm, both of which are very conducive to obtaining a very fine machined surface of about Ra 0.025 μm, with no obvious damage, such as delamination, burrs, and fiber pull out. The serious spindle vibration limits the rotational speed to increase further, and the rotational speed of 25,000 rpm achieves the best fine machined surface. Furthermore, unlike most research results of the drilling and milling method, the proposed micro-cutting method obtains the maximum cutting current and surface roughness when cutting at 0° fiber orientation, while obtaining a minimum cutting current and surface roughness when cutting at 90° fiber orientation. The metal-bonded dicing blade achieves smaller surface roughness than the resin-bonded dicing blade. This paper also discusses the cutting mechanism by investigating the morphology of the machined surface and concludes that the micro breakage and plastic-flow in local regions of fibers and resin are the main material removal mechanisms for dicing CFRP composites with a diamond abrasive blade.

Diamond dicing blades are profound cutting tools that find their applications in semiconductor back-end packaging and assembly processes. To fully appreciate the benefits of the dicing blade technique for precision machining, a deeper understanding is required. This paper systematically reviews the contribution of dicing blades in machining, followed by the context of dicing blades: production, characterization, methodology, and optimization. The readers are enlightened about the potential prospects that can be exploited for precision spectra as a result of current research and engineering developments.