石英玻璃的化学机械磨削加工

为了实现石英玻璃基板的高效、高质量加工,进一步改善光掩模设备的性能,进行了石英玻璃化学机械磨削(CMG)加工技术的研究。通过在磨削过程中主动增强磨粒、结合剂以及磨削液与工件的化学反应,并使化学反应与机械去除作用形成动态平衡,从而消除因材料脆性去除而造成的表面损伤等,实现了大口径玻璃工件的高表面质量、高形状精度的加工。针对石英玻璃CMG加工的特点,开发了CMG专用砂轮及磨削液,利用正交实验法优化了石英玻璃CMG加工工艺参数,分析了CMG加工过程中磨削压力、砂轮转速、磨削液流量、pH值等因素对加工表面粗糙度及加工效率的影响,并利用优化后的工艺参数加工得到了Ra为0.795nm的石英玻璃表面。加工后基板的光学性能和化学机械抛光(CMP)加工基板的光学性能相同,能够满足光掩模设备的性能需求。     

Magnetization of friction surfaces and wear particles by tribological processes

The relationship between magnetization of a friction surface and wear phenomena is discussed for the case of rubbing of nickel on nickel. Experiments were performed by sliding-friction tests of the pin-on-block type. Magnetization of the friction surface was estimated by measuring changes in the magnetic flux density with a Tesla meter, and the effects of lubrication and various normal loads on changes in the magnetic flux density were examined. Also, the magnetic flux density of wear particles was examined for single particles and particle aggregates. The magnetization of the friction surface was found to be related to surface damage by transfer (adhesion). Individual wear particles and aggregates of fine wear particles were all magnetized in one direction by tribological action, showing that wear particles and transfer particles on the friction surface are the principal source of magnetization.     

Prediction of high-cycle fatigue life reliability of aluminum cast alloy from statistical characteristics of defects at meso-scale

In this paper, a growth rate law of a small fatigue crack of an arbitrary metal and a method for predicting a size distribution of spheroidal defects cut by a specimen are proposed. And then, by combining the crack growth rate law and the prediction method for the surface defect size distribution, a method for predicting a high-cycle fatigue life reliability of a metal with defects is proposed. Rotating bending fatigue tests of plain specimens with/without a small blind hole (0.3 mm in diameter, 0.15 mm in depth) are carried out on an aluminum cast alloy JIS AC4B-T6 with eutectic Si, Fe compounds and porosities. By comparing analyzed results with experimental ones, the validity of the present method is examined.     

New surface forces apparatus using two-beam interferometry

We designed a new surface forces apparatus for measuring the interactions between two nontransparent substrates and/or in nontransparent liquids. The small displacement of a surface, the bottom one in this study, was measured by the two-beam (twin path) interferometry technique using the phase difference between the laser light reflected by the fixed mirror and that by the mirror on the back of the bottom surface unit. It is possible to determine the distance with a resolution of 1 nm in the working range of 5 microm. This apparatus was successfully applied to measure the forces between mica surfaces in pure water and aqueous KBr solutions.     

The relationship between acoustic emission signals and cutting phenomena in turning process

The development of intelligent manufacturing by using machine tools is advancing in leaps and bounds. To maintain accuracy in machining and in the interests of fail-safe operation, monitoring of the cutting state or the final machining is very important. Acoustic emissions (AE) comprise elastic stress waves produced as a result of the deformation and fracture of materials. By measuring the AE generated during a turning process, it is possible to estimate the state of the machining operation. The correlation between cutting phenomena and AE in a turning process was examined experimentally by using a steel workpiece and a cermet tool in a numerically controlled turning process. The process of formation of chips, the types of chip, and the shear angle all markedly affected the AE signals. There was a strong negative correlation between the shear angle and the AE signal level. Similar results were obtained for various feed rates and for workpieces of various degrees of hardness. Correlations related to surface roughness and to tool wear are also described that permit the evaluation of the state of the turning process.     

A novel method for three-dimensional observation of the vascular networks in the whole mouse brain

A novel method for acquiring serial images suitable for three-dimensional reconstruction of vascular networks in the whole brain of mouse was developed. The brain infused with a White India ink-gelatin solution was fixed and embedded in paraffin containing Sudan Black B through xylene also containing Sudan Black B. Each sliced surface of the paraffin block was coated with liquid paraffin and its image was serially acquired. Coating with liquid paraffin extremely improved the quality of the image. The series of serial images was free of distortion and a three-dimensional image was reconstructed without the problem of the alignment and registration of adjacent images. The volume-rendered image indicated three-dimensional distribution of blood vessels in a whole brain. No ghost or shadow was observed on a volume-rendered image of the White India ink-gelatin infused brain. The z-axial resolution examined on the orthogonal sections reconstituted from serial images obtained at an interval of 5 mum showed no cross talk, indicating that the z-axial resolution was no larger than 5 mum. A proper understanding of the vascular system in a whole brain is indispensable to reveal the development of the vascular system in the brain of normal and genetically manipulated mouse and vascular alterations in pathological situation, such as stroke and neurodegenerative disease. Although simple and inexpensive, this method will provide fundamental information on the vascular system in a whole brain.     

Optimization of groove dimensions in herringbone-grooved journal bearings for improved repeatable run-out characteristics

Optimization of groove dimensions in herringbone-grooved journal bearings is discussed in this paper with aims to design precision spindles with improved run-out characteristics. An evaluation index to represent the magnitude of the amplitude of repeatable run-out is firstly introduced and the groove design parameters are theoretically discussed to minimize the index value with taking the stable operation condition of the bearing into account. The comprehensive parameter research reveals a guideline for the design of the groove configuration for good run-out characteristics. Experiments with a shaft with grooves designed along the proposed guideline show that the amplitude of repeatable run-out reduces to about half of that of a bearing with currently designed groove configurations, thus confirming validity of the above guideline.     

High-sensitivity detection of proteins using gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy

We have developed a method to detect specific proteins with a high sensitivity using a gel electrophoresis method and force measurement of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Biotinylated proteins were separated by electrophoresis and fixed with cross-linking chemicals on the gel, followed by direct force measurement between the biotinylated proteins on the gel and a streptavidin-modified tip of an AFM cantilever. We were able to achieve a high enough sensitivity to detect the picogram order of the biotinylated proteins by evaluating the frequency of the interaction force larger than 100 pN in the force profile, which corresponds to the rupture force of interaction between streptavidin and biotin.     

Effects of Using Alternative Extreme Pressure (EP) and Anti-Wear (AW) Additives with Oxy-Nitrided Samples

Oxy-nitriding is a widely used industrial process aiming to improve the tribological properties and performance of components. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of the treatment with friction and wear performance, but very few have focussed on optimising this behaviour. The lubrication properties of several EP and AW additives were examined to investigate their effectiveness in improving the tribological properties of the layers formed after treatment. Previous studies showed the presence of an oxide layer on the sample could improve the effectiveness of the sulphurised olefin (SO) and tricresyl phosphate (TCP) additives. The friction and wear behaviour of oxy-nitrided samples were analysed using a tribometer and surface profiler. Scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to identify the morphologies and chemical compositions of the treated surface before and after testing. No real effect on friction was observed when using the SO or TCP additives, mostly due to lack of interaction with the less reactive iron nitride layer and their roles as anti-wear additives. However, when the zinc dialkyldithiophosphate-containing lubricant was used, a higher friction coefficient was observed. Greater improvements in anti-wear properties with the presence of additives in comparison with only using base oil were reported, with the TCP additive producing the lowest wear rates. The study effectively demonstrated that the additive package type used could impact the tribological and tribochemical properties of oxy-nitrided surfaces.     

Dry sliding wear of short glass fibre reinforced zinc–aluminium composites

The present investigation aims to evaluate the wear rate of ZA-27 alloy composites reinforced with short glass fibres from 1 to 5% in steps of 2 wt%. The compocasting method was used to fabricate the composites. A pin-on-disc wear testing machine was used to evaluate the wear rate. The results indicated that the wear rate of the composites was less than that of the matrix alloy, but increased with the increase in load and the sliding distance. It was found that above a critical applied load, there exists a transition from mild to severe wear both in the unreinforced alloy and in the composites, but the transition loads for the composites are much higher than that of the unreinforced alloy, and increases with the increase in weight% of glass fibres. The observations have been explained using scanning electron micrography (SEM) analysis of the worn surfaces and the subsurface of the composites.