Micro-laser assisted machining: the future of manufacturing silicon optics

A wide range of materials including metals and alloys, ceramics, glasses, semiconductors and composites are manufactured to meet service requirements to a given geometry, accuracy, finish and surface integrity. Metals and alloys in general are easier to machine because of their high fracture toughness, low hardness, non-directional bonding, low porosity, large strain to fracture and high impact energy. Non-metals, on the other hand, such as ceramics, semiconductors and optical crystals are characterized by covalent or ionic bonding, limited slip systems for plastic deformation, high hardness and low fracture toughness. It is due to these major differences that ceramics, semiconductors and optical crystals are considered more challenging to machine.