Patent ID: 9555499
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: B23K,B26D,B28D,C30B,H01J

Claim:
1. A method of cutting a super-hard material using an electron beam, wherein the electron beam is directed onto a surface of the super-hard material and moved relative to the surface such that the electron beam moves across the surface of the super-hard material at an electron beam scanning velocity in a range 100 to 5000 mms −1 to cut the super-hard material, wherein the electron beam has a beam current in a range 5 mA to 120 mA, wherein the electron beam has an accelerating voltage in a range 10 kV to 200 kV, wherein the electron beam has a spot size at a point of contact on the super-hard material no more than 500 μm, wherein the electron beam has an input line energy, as defined by (accelerating voltage×beam current)/(electron beam scanning velocity), in a range 500 to 30000 Jm −1 , wherein the electron beam has a surface energy density, as defined by (accelerating voltage×beam current)/(electron beam scanning velocity×beam width), in a range 10 to 600 MJm −2 , wherein the electron beam applies an energy per unit volume of super-hard material which is volatilized, as defined by (accelerating voltage×beam current)/(electron beam scanning velocity×cut cross-sectional area), in a range 100 to 2500 GJm −3 .