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Ductile machining of brittle materials: cutting experiments with diamonds on monocrystalline silicon
Wafers for conventional solar cells are sawn using fixed abrasive diamond wires. The cutting regime using this tool is often brittle, which is associated with poor surface quality. The possibility to machine in a ductile cutting regime is to be invastigated using single-grain scretch tests.
Keywords: silicon, solar industry, solar pannel, wafer diamond wire saw, wafering, fixed abrasive wire saw, grinding, experiment, force measurement, wear measurement, brittle, ductile, ductile to brittle transition, cracks, surface integrity, manufacturing technology
The surface of solar pannels made of silicon has to be free of cracks in order to achieve high efficiengy. Wafering using a fixed abrasive wire saw causes cracks in the surface. The extent of this damage depends mainly on the dominating cutting regime. The brittle material silicon can be cut in ductile cutting regime if certain conditions are met; ductile cutting regime is generally associated with fewer cracks. We have developed an experimental setup with the aim to develop a model that describes the ductile-to-brittle transition extensively. Experiments including force and wear measurment as well as surface characterization are to be conducted.
Please refer to the attached pdf for a more detailed describtion (in German) or contact me directly.
The surface of solar pannels made of silicon has to be free of cracks in order to achieve high efficiengy. Wafering using a fixed abrasive wire saw causes cracks in the surface. The extent of this damage depends mainly on the dominating cutting regime. The brittle material silicon can be cut in ductile cutting regime if certain conditions are met; ductile cutting regime is generally associated with fewer cracks. We have developed an experimental setup with the aim to develop a model that describes the ductile-to-brittle transition extensively. Experiments including force and wear measurment as well as surface characterization are to be conducted.
Please refer to the attached pdf for a more detailed describtion (in German) or contact me directly.
The exact goal will be defined with you according to the type of thesis and your preferences.
The exact goal will be defined with you according to the type of thesis and your preferences.
Stefan Süßmaier, IWF, ETH Zürich
044 632 91 36
suessmaier@iwf.mavt.ethz.ch
Stefan Süßmaier, IWF, ETH Zürich 044 632 91 36 suessmaier@iwf.mavt.ethz.ch