Superabrasive tools and methods for the making thereof are disclosed and described. In one aspect, superabrasive particles are chemically bonded to a matrix support material according to a predetermined pattern by a braze alloy. The brazing alloy may be provided as a powder, thin sheet, or sheet of amorphous alloy. A template having a plurality of apertures arranged in a predetermined pattern may be used to place the superabrasive particles on a given substrate or matrix support material.

Brazed diamond tools and methods for making the same

An abrasive article including a substrate made of a wire, abrasive particles affixed to the substrate, the abrasive particles having a first coating layer overlying the abrasive particles, and a second coating layer different than the first coating layer overlying the first coating layer. The abrasive article further including a bonding layer overlying the substrate and abrasive particles.

Abrasive article and method of forming

Abrasive tools contain abrasive grains oriented in an array according to a non-uniform pattern having an exclusionary zone around each abrasive grain, and the exclusionary zone has a minimum dimension that exceeds the maximum diameter of the desired grit size range for the abrasive grain. Methods for designing such a self-avoiding array of abrasive grain and for transferring such an array to an abrasive tool body are described.

Abrasive tools made with a self-avoiding abrasive grain array

An abrasive tool includes a steel core having at least one cutting face which is knurled to provide a uniform texture of recesses of predetermined size A single layer of abrasive grain such as diamond, synthetic diamond, and/or cubic boron nitride having a grit size which is less than the predetermined size of the recesses is brazed onto the cutting face so that the single layer of abrasive grain follows the texture of the cutting face to facilitate coolant and swarf transport for improved tool life, power consumption and workpiece surface finish

Abrasive tool with knurled surface

Tools for conditioning chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads comprise a substrate with abrasive particles coupled to at least one surface. The tools can have various particles and bond configurations. For instance, abrasive particles may be bonded (e.g., brazed or other metal bond technique) to one side, or to front and back sides. Alternatively, abrasive particles are bonded to a front side, and filler particles coupled to a back side. The abrasive particles can form a pattern (e.g., hexagonal) and have particle sizes that are sufficiently small to penetrate pores of a CMP pad during conditioning, leading to fewer defects on wafers polished with the conditioned CMP pad. Grain bonding can be accomplished using brazing films, although other metal bonds may be used as well. Also, balanced bond material (e.g., braze on both sides) allows for low out-of-flatness value.

Conditioning tools and techniques for chemical mechanical planarization

An improved method of making a monolayer abrasive tool using a relatively low melting point, soft filler metal alloy braze which possesses sufficiently high yield strength combined with a relatively high ductility and low elastic modulus to produce an exceptional bond between a monolayer of superabrasive particles and the tool substrate. The steps of the brazing process include applying a layer of the filler metal alloy including a an active metal in either pre-alloyed or as a mixture with the metal alloy and a monolayer of superabrasive crystals over the filler metal layer. This assembly is heated in a mon-oxidizing atmosphere such as a vacuum to melt the alloy and braze bond the superabrasive particles to the tool substrate. The alloy bond formed possess the properties of a ductility of at least 20 percent elongation, an elastic modulus of less than 15×10 6 or less, and a yield strength preferably at least about 45,000 to 50,000 psi. A copper/silver based alloy including about 8 to 15 weight percent indium and 1 to 4 weight percent titanium is used in a preferred embodiment of the method disclosed.

Kosta L. George

Papers

Method of making monolayer abrasive tools