Material removal rate in polishing anisotropic monocrystalline materials for optoelectronics

Abstract

Based on investigations of the mechanism of precision surface formation in workpieces of anisotropic monocrystalline materials for optoelectronics, a generalized model of material removal in polishing with suspensions of polishing powders has been constructed. The removal rate in polishing sapphire planes of different crystallographic orientations has been found to grow in the series m < c < a < r with increasing volume, surface area, and most probable size of debris particles as well as with energy of dispersion of material from the face being polished.