Description: This is a dental tool meant for cavity prep, which has been repurposed for CNC cutting of glass and silicon. The airjet end of the CrystalMark has been attached to the head of a Sherline CNC mill. |
Manufacturer: CrystalMark |
The CrystalMark Etcher is located in the Elings 3430 across from the microfluidics station in an arcylic covering. It is attached to the Sherline CNC Diamond Drill.
It uses air pressure and aluminum oxide abrasive to cut or etch patterns in materials such as glass or silicon. The kerf is about 800 microns wide.
Patterns and pre-programmed holes can be uploaded via .dxf files to a program which converts dxf patterns to g code, and holes can also be added manually. (See SOP for detailed instructions)
Inhaling large amounts of aluminum oxide can be hazardous. It is recommended to wear a mask and eye protection when using the CrystalMark.
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Contour cut in 0.5mm SI wafer | Whole pieces cut from wafer |
Work in progress