Experimental Study on Removal of Diamond/Cu Composites Processing by Water-jet Guided Laser

HUANG Jiajun; HUANG Yajun; WANG Xiangbo; YE Yufei; QIN Xueqian; ZENG Yizhi; XIE Xiaozhu

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.04.010

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (4) : 115-123. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.04.010

Laser Surface Modification Technology

Experimental Study on Removal of Diamond/Cu Composites Processing by Water-jet Guided Laser

HUANG Jiajun^a, HUANG Yajun^a,b,*, WANG Xiangbo^a, YE Yufei^a, QIN Xueqian^a, ZENG Yizhi^a, XIE Xiaozhu^a,b

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Abstract

Diamond/Cu composites demonstrate exceptional potential for such applications due to their ultrahigh thermal conductivity and tailorable coefficient of thermal expansion matching semiconductor substrates. However, inherent processing challenges arise from the extreme hardness of diamond, chemical inertness, and interfacial thermal resistance within the composite matrix, often resulting in thermal degradation, diamond fracture, and particle delamination during conventional machining. Water-jet guided laser (WJGL) processing presents a novel solution in hard-to-process composites, offering extended working distances, minimized heat-affected zones, and reduced kerf taper angles. In the current situation that diamond/Cu composites are difficult to process and there is relatively little research on processing, it is necessary to study the removal mechanism of diamond/Cu composites processed by water-jet guided laser. In this paper, the removal mechanism of diamond/Cu composites was studied by single-pass grooving. The ablation mechanisms were analyzed with groove morphology variations under differing laser pulse energy. Single-factor experimental designs were subsequently employed to examine the effects of four key processing parameters (laser pulse energy, scanning speed, water-jet pressure, and scanning times) on groove formation. Comparative analysis of processing parameters revealed their differential impacts on groove depth consistency. Groove morphology was characterized by confocal microscopy for three-dimensional surface profiling and dimensional measurements. Scanning electron microscopy facilitated microstructural evaluation, while phase composition analysis of processed diamond particles was performed by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Material removal in diamond/Cu composites during water-jet guided laser processing arises from synergistic interactions between laser-induced thermal effects and hydrodynamic removal mechanisms. The copper matrix undergoes phase transformation via laser irradiation followed by hydrodynamic stripping. Plasma-mediated expulsion mechanisms enhance molten copper ejection. Diamond particle removal involves concurrent processes of thermal-induced graphitization and mechanical de-graphitization through water-jet interaction. When the difference in ablation depth between the copper matrix and diamond particles is large, the bonding force of the copper matrix to the diamond particles decreases. Under the action of thermal stress and the water-jet impact, defects such as bulges at the edge of the copper matrix molten pool and diamond particle shedding occur. Experimental results demonstrate that an increase in pulse energy, a reduction in scanning speed, and a higher number of scans contribute to an increase in groove depth. The groove width is primarily influenced by pulse energy and shows a positive correlation with its increase. The material removal rate increases with higher pulse energy, scanning speed, and water-jet pressure, but decreases with an increase in the number of scanning times. The ablation depth difference at the bottom of the groove exhibits an increasing trend with higher pulse energy and a greater number of scans, while it decreases with increasing scanning speed and water-jet pressure. The ablation depth differential can be controlled within 31.4 μm, and achieve nearly no taper cutting with no diamond particle shedding. The high depth-to-width ratio microchannel heat sink can be fabricated under the best processing parameters. The research results show that water-jet guided laser has superiority in processing diamond/Cu composites and can achieve the high-quality cutting of diamond/Cu composites and the preparation of microchannel heat sinks.

Key words

water-jet guided laser / diamond/Cu composites / single-pass grooving / removal mechanism / ablation morphology

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HUANG Jiajun, HUANG Yajun, WANG Xiangbo, YE Yufei, QIN Xueqian, ZENG Yizhi, XIE Xiaozhu. Experimental Study on Removal of Diamond/Cu Composites Processing by Water-jet Guided Laser[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(4): 115-123

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Funding

Guangdong Provincial Key R&D Program (Laser and Additive Manufacturing Special Project) (2023B0909030003); Basic Research Program Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau (2025A04J3758)