At Creare, we are developing a laser-assisted, pre-finishing system that enables the single-point diamond turning of super-hard ceramics into hemispheres, ogives, and other shapes that are ready for final optical finishing. Currently, super-hard ceramic materials cannot be affordably processed due to the low material removal rates and the high amount of sub-surface damage associated with current processes. Our innovation uses a low-power, far-infrared laser to heat, but not ablate, a thin layer of material prior to its removal. By heating the ceramic material, plastic-like deformation at the cutting edge is fostered by high-temperature dislocation motion. In doing so, the cutting forces are reduced which enables attendant reductions in tool wear, surface and sub-surface damage, and processing time. Our paper will summarize the development of our innovation, describe the process, discuss the machine tool, and review the latest results.
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