Nondestructive Characterization of Micromachined Ceramics

The aerospace, automotive, and electronic industries are finding increasing need for components made from silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon nitride (Si3N4). The development and use of miniaturized ceramic parts, in particular, is of significant interest in a variety of critical applications. As these application areas grow, manufacturers are being asked to find new and better solutions for machining and forming ceramic materials with microscopic precision. Recent advances in laser machining technologies are making precision micromachining of ceramics a reality. Questions regarding micromachining accuracy, residual melt region effects, and laser-induced microcracking are of critical concern during the machining process. In this activity, a variety of nondestructive inspection methods have been used to investigate the microscopic features of laser-machined ceramic components. The primary goal was to assess the micromachined areas for machining accuracy and microcracking using laser ultrasound, scanning electron microscopy, and white-light interference microscopic imaging of the machined regions