Fractal Analysis on Machined Surface Morphologies of Soft-Brittle KDP Crystals Processed by Micro Ball-End Milling

The micro-defects on KH2PO4 (KDP) optic surfaces are mainly repaired by the micro-milling technique, while it is very easy to introduce brittle cracks on repaired surfaces, as KDP is soft and brittle. To estimate machined surface morphologies, the conventional method is surface roughness, but it fails to distinguish ductile-regime machining from brittle-regime machining directly. To achieve this objective, it is of great significance to explore new evaluation methods to further characterize machined surface morphologies. In this study, the fractal dimension (F-D) was introduced to characterize the surface morphologies of soft-brittle KDP crystals machined by micro bell-end milling. The 3D and 2D fractal dimensions of the machined surfaces and their typical cross-sectional contours have been calculated, respectively, based on Box-counting methods, and were further discussed comprehensively by combining the analysis of surface quality and textures. The 3D F-D is identified to have a negative correlation with surface roughness (S-a and S-q), meaning the worse the surface quality the smaller the F-D. The circumferential 2D F-D could quantitively characterize the anisotropy of micro-milled surfaces, which could not be analyzed by surface roughness. Normally, there is obvious symmetry of 2D F-D and anisotropy on the micro ball-end milled surfaces generated by ductile-regime machining. However, once the 2D F-D is distributed asymmetrically and the anisotropy becomes weaker, the assessed surface contours would be occupied by brittle cracks and fractures, and corresponding machining processes will be in a brittle regime. This fractal analysis would facilitate the accurate and efficient evaluation of the repaired KDP optics by micro-milling.

Automated summary

The repair of micro-defects on KH2PO4 (KDP) optic surfaces using micro-milling technique can introduce brittle cracks. Traditional surface roughness method fails to distinguish between ductile and brittle machining. Therefore, a new evaluation method using fractal dimension (F-D) was introduced to further characterize the surface morphologies of KDP crystals. The 3D and 2D F-Ds were calculated based on Box-counting method, and their correlations with surface roughness and anisotropy were analyzed. Fractal analysis facilitates the accurate and efficient evaluation of repaired KDP optics by micro-milling.