Investigation of the diamond tip wear of an atomic force microscope in micromachining

The wear of the diamond tip of an atomic force microscope in the micromachining of a single crystal silicon surface was studied. The tested wear rate of the diamond tip was comparatively investigated by taking account of the relevant finite element calculation results, while the wear mechanism of the tip and the effect of the tip wear on the micromachining process were explored. The results show that the wear rate of the diamond tip in the micromachining of a single crystal silicon is 1.7x10 ^-10mm³/(N·m), based on a theoretical model combined with the experimental results. Through combining the observation of the worn tip features of the atomic force microscope, the finite element simulation of the stress distribution and the unit cutting force calculation of the diamond tip, the wear of the diamond tip is inferred to be dominated by chemical wear.