Effect of grit shape and crystal structure on damage in diamond wire scribing of silicon

Fundamental understanding of the fixed abrasive slicing of photovoltaic silicon wafers is crucial for producing low‐cost wafers with superior surface quality and mechanical strength. With the goal of understanding the diamond wire sawing process, this paper investigates the scribing of mono‐ and multi‐crystalline silicon by the abrasive grits on an actual diamond wire. Specifically, the effects of grit shape and silicon crystal structure on the resulting surface morphology, subsurface damage, and the critical depth of cut at which ductile‐to‐brittle transition occurs are investigated. Results show that surface cracking depends on the grit shape. Scribing across the grain and twin boundaries in multi‐crystalline silicon impacts the resulting surface morphology, with grit shape producing a greater effect than crystallographic orientation in the grain interior relative to the grain boundary. Subsurface damage depends on the grit shape and crystal structure. Differences in the critical depth of cut for ductile‐to‐brittle transition in scribing of mono‐crystalline silicon are explained via analysis of the stress state produced by idealized grit shapes.     

Machinability improvement in three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonic vibration assisted diamond wire sawing of SiC

Ultrasonic vibration assisted (UVA) cutting has been proven to be an effective method for improving machining behavior in processing hard and brittle materials. However, there is no investigation on three-dimensional (3D) UVA diamond wire sawing (DWS). In this paper, a novel 3D vibration assisted DWS system is developed. A theoretical model is established for predicating sawing forces. Experiments have been carried out on DWS of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics. The effects of ultrasonic vibration assistance, input vibration direction and cutting parameters on sawing forces, surface morphologies and tool wear are studied respectively. The simulation results indicate that elliptical motion in 3D space can be obtained for the diamond abrasive. The experimental results reveal that the proposed model has sufficient accuracy to predict sawing forces. It is demonstrated that sawing forces can be reduced by ultrasonic vibration assistance either in vertical direction or in longitudinal direction. However, 3D ultrasonic vibration condition provides the lowest sawing force because of the combined advantages. Due to intermittent cutting mode, sawing forces are decreased by 31%, 40% and 29.8% in X, Y and Z direction, respectively. Because debris can be removed more easily from the contact surface and large ductile smooth area can be obtained, 3D ultrasonic vibration assistance generates higher surface integrity than that of traditional sawing process. Moreover, the wear of diamond wire saw can be effectively decreased.     

The orientation effect of silicon grains on diamond deposition

Diamond deposition on mirror-polished polycrystalline silicon substrates which have grains in various orientations has been investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Diamond was deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition with application of a negative bias voltage on the substrate. The evidence from systematic SEM observations shows that silicon orientation determined by EBSD has a strong effect on diamond nucleation. In general, the diamond nucleation density on Si grains oriented close to <100> is the highest, while it is the lowest for those grains close to <111>, under the same experimental conditions for deposition. The same phenomena have been observed in the range of methane concentration from 2% to 4% in hydrogen.     

The effects of particle size distribution and surface area upon cement strength development

Particle size distribution, uniformity of the distribution and specific surface area (SSA) have a great influence on service properties of cement, particularly on strength. In this paper the effects of these physical parameters on strength development were studied using PC 42.5 R.In order to understand the significance of different particle size ranges in a distribution, samples having size distributions such as − 10 µm, − 20 µm, − 30 µm, − 45 µm, − 32 + 3 µm and − 20 + 5 µm were prepared from PC 42.5 R by using a laboratory scale 3rd generation separator. Additionally − 32 + 3 µm and − 20 + 5 µm fractions were added to the original PC 42.5 R in varying amounts to study SSA and uniformity effects. Same strength values were obtained for samples with a narrower size distribution but smaller SSA. Fineness is very important for strength development, particularly in the early stages of hydration.     

UV Raman characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond films with different grain size

Nanocrystalline diamond films with different size were characterized by ultraviolet (UV) (244 nm) Raman spectroscopy. It was found that a diamond peak at 1333 cm⁻¹ was enhanced, while the D and G peak of graphite as well as photoluminescence was suppressed, compared with that measured by visible (514.5 nm) Raman. With decreasing the particle size from 120 to 28 nm, the diamond peak shifts from 1332.8 to 1329.6 cm⁻¹, the line width of the peak becomes broader, the intensity ratio of diamond and G peak decreases. The down shift and broadening of the diamond peak depending on the particle size by UV Raman measurements are consistent with the phonon confinement model.     

刚玉质浇注料孔径分布及其与强度的定量关系

以板状刚玉骨料(6～3,3～1和≤1 mm)和细粉(≤0.088和≤0.045 mm)、铝酸钙水泥和α-Al2O3微粉(d50=1.754μm)为原料,制备了α-Al2O3微粉质量分数分别为0、2%、4%、6%和8%的刚玉质浇注料。测定了浇注料分别经110、1 100和1 500℃热处理后的冷态强度和气孔孔径分布。利用Atzeni方程验证浇注料强度与其显气孔率和气孔中位径之间的定量关系,并借助灰色关联理论分析了不同气孔孔径区间与浇注料强度的相关性。研究发现:浇注料气孔孔径分布受其内部微粉填充效应和基质烧结效应的共同影响,微粉的引入使其气孔中位径下降,而烧结则使其气孔中位径增大;Atzeni方程经添加常数修正项后能较好地描述在相同温度下热处理后浇注料的强度与其气孔中位径之间的关系;不同孔径区间与浇注料强度的灰色关联度有明显差异,且同一孔径区间与其强度灰色关联度的大小也随热处理温度的变化而变化。在整个热处理温度范围内,<0.5μm的气孔孔径区间与浇注料强度的灰色关联度最大。     

The preparation and characterisation of nanometre platinum colloids on silicon wafers as model catalysts

Platinum particles of 2 nm diameter have been immobilised on oxidised silicon wafers by spin coating with colloidal solutions and characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The coverage and dispersion of the Pt colloids on the Si wafer are controlled by varying the concentration and the spin speed. Under optimal conditions mono-dispersed Pt colloids on silicon wafers are prepared. For the Pt colloids immobilised on the Si wafer, the majority of the stabilising ligands are removed through a reduction (with H₂ at 200°C) or an oxidation (in air at 300°C) procedure. AFM showed that particle sizes are retained after the reduction procedure, while significant sintering occurs after oxidation. The mechanism of ligand removal was studied using an in situ XPS reaction cell. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Formation of silicon nanowire packed films from metallurgical-grade silicon powder using a two-step metal-assisted chemical etching method

In this work, we use a two-step metal-assisted chemical etching method to produce films of silicon nanowires shaped in micrograins from metallurgical-grade polycrystalline silicon powder. The first step is an electroless plating process where the powder was dipped for few minutes in an aqueous solution of silver nitrite and hydrofluoric acid to permit Ag plating of the Si micrograins. During the second step, corresponding to silicon dissolution, we add a small quantity of hydrogen peroxide to the plating solution and we leave the samples to be etched for three various duration (30, 60, and 90 min). We try elucidating the mechanisms leading to the formation of silver clusters and silicon nanowires obtained at the end of the silver plating step and the silver-assisted silicon dissolution step, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed that the processed Si micrograins were covered with densely packed films of self-organized silicon nanowires. Some of these nanowires stand vertically, and some others tilt to the silicon micrograin facets. The thickness of the nanowire films increases from 0.2 to 10 μm with increasing etching time. Based on SEM characterizations, laser scattering estimations, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, and Raman spectroscopy, we present a correlative study dealing with the effect of the silver-assisted etching process on the morphological and structural properties of the processed silicon nanowire films.     

硅质耐火泥施工性能的探讨

探讨了硅质耐火泥施工性能的具体要求,根据现有的国家技术标准进行样品试验,对原料的粒度配级和施工性能赋予剂上进行研究。最终得出结论,合理的粒度级配是焦炉用硅质火泥获得优良的施工性能的基础。必须添加水溶性有机物和无机盐组合添加剂,才能使火泥获得良好的施工性能。     

Statistical size scaling of ceramic strength

This work is based on the belief that the uniform spatial distribution of flaws underlying Weibull statistics is not necessarily always true for all ceramics. The weakest-link statistics for a power-law spatial distribution of flaws is adopted to synchronize the size dependence and random variation of ceramic strength. Three sets of published strength data of ceramics from different sized specimens are used for this purpose. The assumption of power-law spatial distribution of flaws in ceramics is validated, with both uniform and nonuniform spatial distributions being showcased possible. For all the three case studies, there exists a master curve to correlate a compound parameter encompassing cumulative failure probability and size effect with the nominal fracture strength.     

Recent progress in the pore size control of silicon carbide ceramic membranes

The demand for separation and purification applications under harsh conditions has grown strongly in recent years. Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic membranes have broad prospects in this aspect due to their unique characteristics, but its pore size control is a crucial problem. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop simple and feasible methods for precise control of the pore size of SiC membranes to improve membrane selectivity and expand their application range. This review describes the pore formation process in the preparation of SiC membranes, focusing on the selection of SiC particles, sintering temperature, sacrificial template, sintering aids, oxidation process and other factors affecting the pore size and analysis. Finally, the control of SiC membrane pore size is summarized and the outlook is proposed.     

Field strength effect on elastoplastic behavior of aluminoborosilicate glass: I. Elastic moduli and indentation size effect

The modifier field strength (FS) is believed to play an important role in determining the elastic–plastic responses of aluminoborosilicate (ABS) glasses, but its effect is not well understood. Three novel alkali and three alkaline earth (AE) ABS compositions were created for this study which is the first part of two studies that explored the elastoplastic responses of these glasses. Six compositions were designed using different network modifiers (NWMs) to cover a range of cation FS. The glasses were also designed such that the concentrations of NWM and Al₂O₃ were similar, which maximized the three-coordinated boron fraction in the network. It is well known that modifier FS can affect the coordination number (CN) of Al and B in an ABS glass structure, for example, a higher FS modifier can promote B³ → B⁴ and higher [Al^5,6], but the degree of this depends on network former (NWF) ratios. Previous work used solid-state NMR spectroscopic analysis on the current glasses to find that there was variation between [B⁴] and [Al⁴] between the two glass series (alkali vs. AE) but that was attributed to synthesis factors and no trend with FS was associated with the varying NWF CN. Further, ²⁹Si ssNMR showed no evidence of NBOs which made sense based on composition. The conclusion, therefore, was that there was a far greater correlation with modifier FS for the increased mechanical and physical properties rather than the CN of Al and B. Part I of the current work focused on the elastic moduli, Poisson's ratio, the indentation size effect (ISE), and the bow-in parameter. This part laid out the foundation to investigate the intersection of these elastoplastic properties with hardness and crack resistance as a function of NWM FS. Results showed that: (i) the Young's, bulk, and shear moduli increased with modifier FS, whereas Poisson's ratio did not trend with FS; (ii) the alkali glasses had a significantly higher magnitudes of ISE compared to the AE glasses; and (iii) the bow-in parameter was load dependent and decreased with modifier FS at the highest indentation load.     

颗粒级配对硅碳棒热端密度及性能的影响

采取相同的塑化剂配方和成型压力,研究了碳化硅颗粒级配(粗粉800～1600μm,中粉100μm,细粉1.2～14μm)对硅碳棒热端挤出密度以及电性能和抗氧化性的影响。结果表明:1)在硅碳棒热端塑性挤出工艺中,当粗、中粉之和与细粉(含塑化剂)的体积比为7:5时,坯体的挤出成型密度最高;2)在硅碳棒热端的挤出成型中,粗、细粉的粒径都对坯体密度有较大的影响,当粗粉为1.4mm占40%(体积分数,下同)和600μm占25%,中粉为100μm占10%,细粉为5μm占25%时,制得坯体的密度高达2.56g.cm-3;3)硅碳棒热端的电阻率与碳化硅颗粒烧结颈的多少和粗细有很大关系,合适的级配能使硅碳棒中的碳化硅颗粒基本烧成一体,减少其颗粒之间的界面,从而提高制品的导电性能和抗氧化性能。     

Determination of optimal quick switching system with varying sample size for assuring mean life under Weibull distribution

Conventional sampling plans are applied to dispose an individual lot or isolated lot that requires a large sample size. Consequently, the inspection time and cost needed to make a decision under conventional plans are high. In order to reduce the sample size and to inspect the series of lots with minimum cost and time, special purpose plans are utilized. In this article, we propose one of the special purpose plans, namely, a quick switching sampling system that is also known as a two-plan sampling system. Through this sampling system, the Weibull-distributed mean life of the product is ensured based on time-truncated life tests. The proposed system is designed with the intention of minimizing the average sample number using two points on the operating characteristic curve approach. The optimal parameters of the proposed system are determined for different combinations of producer’s risk and consumer’s risk. Implementation of the proposed system is also explained and the performance of the proposed system is compared with other existing plans. In addition, the effects of misspecification of shape parameters on optimal parameters and the probability of acceptance are discussed.     

原料粒度对合成碳化硅的影响研究

以轮胎半焦为碳源,石英砂为硅源,在1520℃下通过碳热还原法制备了碳化硅。采用XRD、SEM和红外光谱仪等对不同原料粒度条件下制备的碳化硅进行了表征,探究了原料粒度对合成碳化硅物相、形貌、粒度和反应程度的影响规律。结果表明：原料粒度对碳化硅的合成反应进行程度及产物碳化硅的物相组成、形貌、粒度均有十分重要的影响。在一定粒度范围内,随着石英砂粒度的减小,碳化硅晶型变完整,且晶须逐渐减少,碳化硅的粒径分布没有明显变化;随着轮胎半焦粒度的增大,产物物相逐渐变为单一,碳化硅的粒径和晶须所占的比例逐渐减小。此外,通过对产物中C/Si 比的测定和存在中间产物SiO的证实,推测出了碳化硅颗粒的生成机理为气-固（VS）反应,而碳化硅晶须的生成机理为气-气（VV）反应。     

粒径对粉煤灰基地聚物抗压强度的影响

为提高粉煤灰的综合利用,以工业废弃物粉煤灰为主要原料,通过碱激发制备粉煤灰基地聚物,研究了粉煤灰的粒径及粒径分布对粉煤灰基地聚物抗压强度的影响。试验结果表明:对于单峰分布不同粒径的粉煤灰来说,随着D_(50)粒径的减小,粉煤灰基地聚物的28 d抗压强度随之显著升高,早期抗压强度也随之大幅提高;对于相同D_(50)粒径下单峰和双峰分布的粉煤灰来说,单峰分布的粉煤灰基地聚物的抗压强度略低于双峰分布粉煤灰基地聚物的抗压强度;进而证明D_(50)粒径是影响粉煤灰基地聚物的因素之一,通过调节粒径分布可以改善抗压强度,为进一步控制粉煤灰基地聚物的抗压强度提供了理论基础。     

Investigation of colour size effect for colour appearance assessment

Three psychophysical experiments were conducted to investigate the colour appearance changes between different sizes under various media or viewing conditions. The results are highly consistent that when increase stimulus size, the colour will appear to be lighter and more colourful with little change in hue. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 36, 201–209, 2011;     

The size effect and high activity of nanosized platinum supported catalysts for low temperature oxidation of volatile organic compounds

Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with smaller size of Pt nanoparticles were prepared by ethylene glycol reduction method in two different way and their oxidation activities for three typical VOCs (volatile organic compounds) were evaluated. The catalyst prepared by first adsorption and then reduction procedure is denoted as L-Pt/Al₂O₃ while the catalyst prepared by first reduction and then loading procedure is defined as R-Pt/Al₂O₃. The results show that L-Pt/Al₂O₃ with the stronger interaction between Pt species and Al₂O₃ exhibit smaller size of Pt nanoparticles and favorable thermal stability compared with R-Pt/Al₂O₃. L-Pt/Al₂O₃ is favor of the formation of more adsorbed oxygen species and more Pt²⁺ species, resulting in high catalytic activity for benzene and ethyl acetate oxidation. However, R-Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with higher proportion of Pt⁰/Pt²⁺ and bigger size of Pt particles exhibits higher catalytic activity for n-hexane oxidation. Pt particles in R-Pt/Al₂O₃ were aggregated much more serious than that in L-Pt/Al₂O₃ at the same calcination temperature. The Pt particles supported on Al₂O₃ with~10 nm show the best catalytic activity for n-hexane oxidation.     

Influence of sample size on strength distribution of advanced ceramics

Strength distribution of advanced ceramics is mostly characterized by Weibull distribution function. The question whether the Weibull distribution always gives the best fit to strength data has been being considered in the last years. The sample size affects the reliable decision of discrimination of different distribution functions (e.g. normal, log-normal, gamma or Weibull). In this paper, 5100 experimental alumina strength data and virtual strength data generated by Monte Carlo simulations are used in order to investigate the effect of sample size on strength distribution of advanced ceramics. It is suggested that, at least 150–200 samples should be used for determination of best fitting distribution function with a statistical fallibility of 10%. Extreme Value Analysis performed with the experimental strength data showed that the Weibull distribution fits the data best and difference between the Weibull and Gumbel distributions appear at the tails.     

Grain size effect on electrical and reliability characteristics of modified fine-grained BaTiO3 ceramics for MLCCs

Fine-grained BaTiO₃-based ceramics of different grain sizes (118–462 nm) with core–shell structures were prepared by a chemical coating method, having good dielectric properties and gentle temperature stability. The grain size effect on the dielectric properties and insulation resistivity of modified fine-grained BaTiO₃ ceramics under high temperatures and electric fields were investigated. The DC bias shows a strong effect on the dielectric properties with decreasing grain size. In the finest ceramics, the absolute value of the capacitance stability factor was the smallest, indicating that the modified-BaTiO₃ ceramic capacitor with smaller grains had higher reliability under the DC bias voltage. The highly accelerated lifetime test results showed that with decreasing the grain size, samples exhibited higher insulation resistance under elevated temperatures and high voltages. Impedance analysis proved that the finer-grained ceramic with core–shell structure had higher activation energy for both grain and grain boundary, whereas the proportion of ionic conductivity was lower.