This study was performed to develop high-efficiency micromachining using AFM and machining AFM cantilever. In this paper, we propose two types of machining AFM cantilevers; one is a cantilever with multiple polycrystalline diamond cutting edges called a multi-edged cantilever, and the other is a multiple cantilever with various flexural rigidity called a multi-levered cantilever. Micromachining experiments for Ni-P alloy or single crystalline silicon using AFM are conducted to evaluate these cantilevers as micromachining tools with high efficiency. The results indicated that the multi-edged cantilever was able to simultaneous machine with the same shape, and the multi-levered cantilever was able to simultaneously machine according to each flexural rigidity.

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A method for thickness measurement by means of reflection spectroscopy is promising for thickness gauges used in the silicon wafer thinning process. The most important element in thickness measurement instruments is the spectrometer. Here, optimized conditions for spectrometer performance were verified by theoretical estimations. An appropriate commercially available spectrometer was selected by following the estimations, and a thickness gauge with a measurable range for 50 - 5μm and accuracy of 0.01 μm was prototyped. The validity of the spectrometer conditions was confirmed by excellent performance in demonstrations.

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An efficient and high-precision machining method for molds made of sintered carbide is discussed. The use of polycrystalline diamond (PCD)-end mills is proposed for finish cutting of the mold in this study. First, PCD-end mills are developed, which have original geometries of cutting edge shaped by wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM), for cutting super-hard materials, such as sintered carbide. Second, the cutting performance of the developed PCD-end mills is evaluated. The results indicated that high-precision machined surfaces with a surface roughness of 0.5 nmRa can be obtained in fundamental experiments involving straight groove milling. High-dimensional precision, long tool life, and short processing time are achieved in the experiment of actual mold machining. In conclusion, the proposed PCD-end mills are suitable for finishing of molds made of sintered carbide.

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