Study on nanometric cutting of germanium by molecular dynamics simulation.

Three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to study the nanometric cutting of germanium. The phenomena of extrusion, ploughing, and stagnation region are observed from the material flow. The uncut thickness which is defined as the depth from bottom of the tool to the stagnation region is in proportion to the undeformed chip thickness on the scale of our simulation and is almost independent of the machined crystal plane. The cutting resistance on (111) face is greater than that on (010) face due to anisotropy of germanium. During nanometric cutting, both phase transformation from diamond cubic structure to β-Sn phase and direct amorphization of germanium occur. The machined surface presents amorphous structure.