Patent ID: 8444848

Claim:
An electrochemical slicing apparatus, comprising: an electrochemical bath configured to contain an electrochemical solution; a support apparatus configured to support and immerse a workpiece in said electrochemical bath; a non-contact cutting device comprising a cutting electrode that is a conductive wire or conductive ribbon and an electrical power source coupled to said cutting electrode and said workpiece and configured to apply a voltage between said cutting electrode and said workpiece, wherein said cutting electrode is configured to extend into said electrochemical bath and slice said workpiece via electrochemical etching along a cutting plane to form an evolving cutting groove in said workpiece defined by a cutting surface between opposing sidewalls, and wherein said cutting electrode is configured to further extend into said evolving cutting groove between said opposing sidewalls during said slicing; and an electromagnetic (EM) radiation source configured to illuminate said cutting surface within said evolving cutting groove during slicing along said cutting plane, wherein said cutting electrode comprises one or more openings formed there through to allow greater exposure of said cutting surface to said EM radiation source.