[labnetwork] Sapphire substrates: precision scribe & break

[Christopher Raum]

Hi Vito,

I've had success scribing across the length of the desired cleave location
and then using the length of a hex key (1 to 2 mm) to provide a fulcrum
under the scribe line. Then by placing finger tips on either side of the
scribe (freshly trimmed fingernails help), push down evenly over the hex
key edge. By placing a gentle but steadily increasing pressure I've been
able to successfully cleave fused quartz wafers (100 to 500 um thick) this
way.

This technique is heavily operator dependent and not suitable for large
volume, but if you just need some experimental samples prepared it's a
useful technique.

Good luck!

-Chris
--
Christopher Raum, PhD.
R&D Engineer
Experimental Cosmology Group
Radio Astronomy Lab
University of California, Berkeley
151 LeConte Hall
Berkeley, CA, 94720
Work: (510) 642-7801
Cell: (949) 677-1905
Fax:  (510) 643-5204
Email:        craum at berkeley.edu
Alt Email:   crraum at gmail.com

On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Vito Logiudice <vito.logiudice at uwaterloo.ca
> wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I would appreciate hearing from anyone whom might be able to share some
> insights on how to reliably scribe & break sapphire substrates. We’re
> attempting to help out a couple of research groups here with such a
> requirement.
>
> We’ve had success with our water-cooled dicing saw but it appears this
> approach leads to unacceptable materials issues. We thus find ourselves
> having to resort to some sort of precision (& repeatable) scribe and break
> technique/setup which will result in consistently smooth sidewalls.
>
> Thank you for any insights on procedures you may be using or equipment
> vendors you have worked with whom might be able to help.
>
> Best regards,
> Vito
> --
> Vito Logiudice  P.Eng.
> Director of Operations, Quantum NanoFab
> University of Waterloo
> Lazaridis QNC 1207
> 200 University Avenue West
> Waterloo, ON           Canada N2L 3G1
> Tel.: (519) 888-4567  ext. 38703
> Email: vito.logiudice at uwaterloo.ca
> Website: https://fab.qnc.uwaterloo.ca
>
>
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