Cutting device and cutting method

Abstract

To provide a cutting device etc. which is suitable for achieving high-level processing while preventing breakage of an object in processing utilizing sound energy.SOLUTION: A cutting device 1 utilizes sound energy to cut an object. The cutting device 1 includes: a blade horn 13; a ring blade 11 attached to the blade horn 13; a first booster 7; a second booster 9; an electrostrictive type vibrator 5; a motor 3; a first contact electrode 15; a second contact electrode 17; and an oscillator 29. The ring blade 11 includes at least diamond particles and a metal. The first booster 7 and the second booster 9 sandwich and hold the blade horn 13 to maintain rigidity of the ring blade 11. The first contact electrode 15 and the second contact electrode 17 directly supply external power of sine waves output by the oscillator 29 to the electrostrictive type vibrator 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device and a cutting method, and more particularly to a cutting device that uses sound energy to cut an object. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic vibration cutting device proposed by the inventors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-210928 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, a conductive cover is fitted onto the vibrator, and the electrodes are connected via the cover. In other words, the electrodes do not come into contact with the vibrator, and there are cases where the waveform of external power is not transmitted cleanly to the vibrator. This can result in damage to the object.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device or the like that is suitable for achieving advanced processing while preventing destruction of an object in processing using sound energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention is a cutting device that uses sound energy to cut an object, comprising a blade horn, a ring blade attached to the blade horn, a first booster, a second booster, an electrostrictive vibrator, a motor, a first contact electrode, a second contact electrode, and an oscillator, the ring blade contains at least diamond particles and a metal, the first booster and the second booster hold the blade horn by sandwiching it, the first booster is connected to the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are directly connected to the electrostrictive vibrator, and the blade The horn, the ring blade, the first booster, the second booster, the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are a directly-coupled rotating body, the motor rotates the directly-coupled rotating body, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode directly supply the sine wave external power output by the oscillator to the electrostrictive vibrator, the electrostrictive vibrator converts the supplied external power into sine wave mechanical vibration and transmits it to the ring blade, the ring blade vibrates due to the mechanical vibration caused by the metal contained in the ring blade, and the diamond particles vibrate to cut the object.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is the cutting device according to the first aspect, further comprising a coolant supplier that supplies a coolant to the ring blade.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is the cutting device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the output of the oscillator is 100 watts or more.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a cutting method for a cutting device that uses sound energy to cut an object, the cutting device comprising: a blade horn; a ring blade attached to the blade horn; a first booster; a second booster; an electrostrictive vibrator; a motor; a first contact electrode; a second contact electrode; and an oscillator, the ring blade containing at least diamond particles and a metal, the first booster and the second booster holding the blade horn by sandwiching it therebetween, the first booster is connected to the electrostrictive vibrator, and the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are directly connected to the electrostrictive vibrator. the blade horn, the ring blade, the first booster, the second booster, the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are directly connected to a rotating body, the motor rotates the directly connected rotating body, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode directly supply the sine wave external power output by the oscillator to the electrostrictive vibrator, the electrostrictive vibrator converts the supplied external power into sine wave mechanical vibration and transmits it to the ring blade, the metal contained in the ring blade vibrates due to the mechanical vibration, and the diamond particles vibrate to cut the object.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the cutting method according to the fourth aspect, further comprising a coolant supplier that supplies coolant to the ring blade when the motor rotates the directly-coupled rotor.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the cutting method according to the fourth or fifth aspect, wherein the output of the oscillator is 100 watts or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to each aspect of the present invention, the first booster and second booster clamp and hold the blade horn, thereby increasing the rigidity of the ring blade, and the first contact electrode and second contact electrode directly supply the sinusoidal external power output by the oscillator to the electrostrictive vibrator, resulting in a clean waveform of vibration in the ring blade, which allows regularity to be added to the vibration of the diamond particles caused by the vibration in the ring blade, thereby enabling advanced processing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the structure of a cutting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 shows the exterior of an actual cutting device 1 of FIG. [Figure 3] 1 shows the sine wave of the voltage of the external power (line L1) and the amplitude of the vibration in the ring blade 11 (line L2). [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a 6-inch diameter SiC wafer cut into 3 mm square pieces by the cutting device 1 of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. [Example]

[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the structure of a cutting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, the cutting device 1 includes a motor 3, an electrostrictive vibrator 5, a first booster 7, a second booster 9, a ring blade 11, a blade horn 13, a first contact electrode 15, a second contact electrode 17, a coolant supplier 27, and an oscillator 29.

[0017] The cutting blade used is formed by a ring blade 11 and a blade horn 13. Here, the ring blade 11 and the blade horn 13 are fixed to the outer periphery of the blade horn 13. A part or all of the outer periphery of the ring blade 11 extends beyond the outer periphery of the blade horn 13. The ring blade 11 is attached with a thin adhesive layer with a thickness of 0 to 50 μm to suppress vibration damping. The adhesive layer is not peeled off by vibration energy. Alternatively, the ring blade 11 may be fixed by alloying using ultrasonic bonding.

[0018] The ring blade 11 is a flat, ring-shaped blade. For example, it is flat and has a shape surrounded by two concentric circles of different radii, with a blade formed on the outer periphery. The ring blade 11 is, for example, a metal blade containing metal and diamond particles. The metal blade is, for example, a metal blade or an electroformed blade. The metal blade is a metal blade made by mixing metal powder and diamond particles and sintering them under high pressure and high temperature. The electroformed blade is a metal blade made by mixing diamond particles into a nickel plating solution.

[0019] The blade horn 13 has a circular outer periphery centered on a central axis, and is rotated around the central axis by the rotation of the motor 3.

[0020] The first booster 7 and the second booster 9 are vibrating bodies (boosters) that support the blade horn 13 from both sides of the central axis.

[0021] The electrostrictive vibrator 5 is connected to the first booster 7. The electrostrictive vibrator 5 utilizes a phenomenon (electrostriction) in which, when an electric field is applied to a dielectric (insulating liquid, isotropic solid), a strain proportional to the square of the electric field is generated, and utilizes an element used to convert electrical vibration into mechanical vibration. The electrostrictive vibrator 5 is, for example, a PZT vibrator. Vibrators are generally classified into electrostrictive and magnetostrictive types. The electrostrictive vibrator 5 is an electrostrictive vibrator.

[0022] The oscillator 29 generates external power of a sine wave (sine waveform), and has a high output of, for example, 100 watts or more (for example, 100 watts or more and 1200 watts or less), and is digitally controlled.

[0023] The first contact electrode 15 and the second contact electrode 17 supply the external power generated by the oscillator 29 directly to the electrostrictive vibrator 5 through direct metal-to-metal contact. That is, one end of the first contact electrode 15 and the second contact electrode 17 is in direct contact with the electrostrictive vibrator 5 and electrically connected thereto without going through a cover or the like. In FIG. 1, the other end of the first contact electrode 15 is connected to the positive pole of the external power supplied to a point located on the axis of the spindle. The other end of the second contact electrode 17 is connected to the negative pole of the external power supplied to a point located around the axis of the spindle.

[0024] The second booster 9, blade horn 13, ring blade 11, first booster 7, electrostrictive vibrator 5, first contact electrode 15, and second contact electrode 17 are coupled together to form a directly coupled rotor that can rotate as a single unit. The directly coupled rotor is rotated by a motor 3, for example, at a speed of 1 rpm to 12,000 rpm. The first interior 19 includes the first booster 7, electrostrictive vibrator 5, first contact electrode 15, and second contact electrode 17. The first interior 19 is covered by a first exterior 23 and supported within the first exterior 23 so as to be rotatable. The second interior 21 includes the second booster 9. The second interior 21 is covered by a second exterior 25 and supported within the second exterior 25 so as to be rotatable. The first booster 7, electrostrictive vibrator 5, first contact electrode 15, and second contact electrode 17 are covered by the exterior, supported, and rotate. The first booster 7 and the second booster 9 are vibrating bodies (boosters) that support the blade horn 13 from both sides, thereby maintaining the rigidity of the cutting blade.

[0025] At least when cutting is performed by the ring blade 11, the coolant supplier 27 supplies a coolant such as water to the ring blade 11. During cutting, the ring blade 11 is cooled by the coolant, and the effects of sonic or ultrasonic vibration and cleaning prevent seizure, allowing cutting without a built-up cutting edge. Furthermore, the self-sharpening effect reduces the shedding of diamond particles and wear, allowing the diamond particles to be used to the end over time, leading to a longer blade life and a longer service life.

[0026] The electrostrictive vibrator 5 converts the electrical vibrations supplied directly from the first contact electrode 15 and the second contact electrode 17 into mechanical vibrations, generating sonic or ultrasonic vibrations used by the cutting blade. The mechanical vibrations generated by the electrostrictive vibrator 5 are transmitted to the ring blade 11 via the first booster 7 and the blade horn 13. The inventors have confirmed that the electrostrictive vibrator 5 converts the electrical vibrations of a frequency of 10 to 50 kHz generated by the oscillator into mechanical vibrations, generating sonic or ultrasonic vibration sound energy, and that the ring blade 11 resonates with this sound energy to achieve cutting.

[0027] The blade horn 13 resonates with the sonic vibrations (vibrations less than 20 kHz) or ultrasonic vibrations (vibrations greater than or equal to 20 kHz) generated by the electrostrictive vibrator 5. When the blade horn 13 resonates with the sonic or ultrasonic vibrations, the ring blade 11 can resonate with both the sonic and ultrasonic vibrations. Therefore, the sonic or ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the ring blade 11 by the blade horn 13. In particular, by fixing the ring blade 11 and the blade horn 13 together with an adhesive and / or by alloying them with sonic bonding, the strength and density of the bond between the metals allows the ring blade 11 to resonate with the sonic or ultrasonic vibrations, achieving nearly 100% sound energy transmission efficiency. As a result, the diamond particles contained in the ring blade 11 can cut objects such as inorganic materials (including SiC and ceramics), metals, and plastics.

[0028] In the cutting device 1 shown in Figure 1, the clean sine wave output from the oscillator 29 is directly supplied to the electrostrictive vibrator 5. A direct-coupled rotor is formed, and the rigidity of the ring blade 11 is maintained by the spindle structure of both support structures. The diamond particles contained in the ring blade 11 appear to have random motion vectors (especially the acceleration and direction of vibration amplitude). However, the applied signal is a clean sine wave waveform, which changes the random motion to one with regularity (what could be called "chaotic motion"). As a result, damage to inorganic materials such as SiC, glass, and ceramics, which are easily destroyed by vibration, is minimized, enabling clean, regular cutting with fine chipping. Thus, the direct coupling and direct power supply, along with the spindle structure of both support structures, makes it possible to cut difficult-to-cut materials such as SiC, metals, ceramics, and resins, as well as composite materials. This cutting was possible at rotation speeds ranging from 1 rpm to 12,000 rpm. The ring blade is a metal blade, such as a metal blade or an electroformed blade (such as a nickel electroformed blade), that can transmit and resonate sonic vibrations or ultrasonic vibrations.

[0029] These configurations have dramatically increased the cutting speed. For example, it is now possible to cut a SiC wafer with a thickness of 0.35 mm, which is difficult to cut, at a speed of over 20 mm / sec.

[0030] Furthermore, the blade's wear resistance has been significantly improved. For example, when cutting a difficult-to-cut SiC wafer with a thickness of 0.35 mm and a diameter of 6 inches in a single pass of 3 mm square, the wear amount was approximately 30 μm.

[0031] Furthermore, the shock during cutting is reduced, enabling a clean cut even if the blade makes contact with one side due to eccentricity. As a result, the blade dressing process before and during cutting is no longer necessary.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the exterior of an actual cutting device 1 of FIG.

[0033] 3 shows the sine wave (line L1) of the voltage of the external power and the amplitude (line L2) of the vibration in the ring blade 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the first contact electrode 15 and the second contact electrode 17 directly supply the external power to the electrostrictive vibrator 5, so that the amplitude of the vibration in the ring blade 11 forms a sine waveform that is almost the same shape as the sine waveform of the voltage of the external power.

[0034] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a 6-inch diameter SiC wafer cut into 3 mm squares (each side of 3 mm) by the cutting device 1 of FIG.

[0035] When attempting to cut a 0.35 mm thick, 6 inch diameter SiC wafer without applying sonic or ultrasonic vibrations, an electroformed blade made of Ni-plated aluminum horn, a resin blade, and a metal blade were used at a rotation speed of 10,000 rpm, but all blades were destroyed and no cutting was possible.

[0036] This section explains the case where a metal blade is used as the ring blade 11 and sonic or ultrasonic vibrations are applied. The metal blade vibrates while rotating. The vibrations are transmitted to the diamond particles of several μm to several tens of μm contained in the metal blade. The metal blade that comes into contact with the SiC wafer is cooled with water by a horizontal feed mechanism (not shown) of the cutting device 1, and the built-up cutting edge disappears due to the effect of vibration, cutting the SiC wafer. Furthermore, the self-sharpening of the diamond particles reduces the shedding and wear of the diamond particles, allowing the blade to be used until the end.

[0037] For example, the conditions for cutting a 0.35 mm thick SiC wafer into 3 mm squares were: spindle rotation speed 10,000 rpm, cutting speed 20 mm / sec, vibration amplitude of sonic or ultrasonic mechanical vibration 3 μm, and cooling water supply rate 2.5 L / min. As shown in Figure 4, the SiC wafer was cut cleanly with small chipping without any damage or destruction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 cutting device 3 motors 5 Electrostrictive vibrator 7. First Booster 9 Second Booster 11 Ring Blade 13 Blade Horn 15 1st contact electrode 17 Second contact electrode 19 No. 1 Interior 21 Second Interior 23 First Exterior 25 Second Exterior 27 Coolant supply 29 Oscillators

Claims

1. A cutting device that uses sound energy to cut an object, The device includes a blade horn, a ring blade attached to the blade horn, a first booster, a second booster, an electrostrictive vibrator, a motor, a first contact electrode, a second contact electrode, and an oscillator, The ring blade includes at least diamond particles and a metal, the first booster and the second booster hold the blade horn by sandwiching it between them, the first booster is connected to the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are directly connected to the electrostrictive vibrator; the blade horn, the ring blade, the first booster, the second booster, the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode, and the second contact electrode are directly coupled rotors, the motor rotates the directly-coupled rotor; the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode directly supply the sine wave external power output by the oscillator to the electrostrictive vibrator; the electrostrictive vibrator converts the supplied external power into a sinusoidal mechanical vibration and transmits the vibration to the ring blade; A cutting device in which the ring blade vibrates due to the mechanical vibration caused by the metal contained in the ring blade, causing the diamond particles to vibrate and cut the object.

2. 2. The cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising a coolant supplier for supplying coolant to the ring blade.

3. 2. The cutting device of claim 1, wherein the oscillator has an output power of 100 watts or greater.

4. A cutting method for a cutting device that uses sound energy to cut an object, comprising: the cutting device includes a blade horn, a ring blade attached to the blade horn, a first booster, a second booster, an electrostrictive vibrator, a motor, a first contact electrode, a second contact electrode, and an oscillator; The ring blade includes at least diamond particles and a metal, the first booster and the second booster hold the blade horn by sandwiching it between them, the first booster is connected to the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode are directly connected to the electrostrictive vibrator; the blade horn, the ring blade, the first booster, the second booster, the electrostrictive vibrator, the first contact electrode, and the second contact electrode are directly coupled rotors, the motor rotates the directly-coupled rotor; the first contact electrode and the second contact electrode directly supply the sine wave external power output by the oscillator to the electrostrictive vibrator, The electrostrictive vibrator converts the supplied external power into a sinusoidal mechanical vibration and transmits the vibration to the ring blade. A cutting method comprising the step of vibrating the metal contained in the ring blade due to the mechanical vibration, causing the diamond particles to vibrate and cut the object.

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