Abstract: An apparatus for turning a hard and/or brittle material includes a precision workpiece spindle, a workpiece support, a hard and/or brittle workpiece rigidly coupled to the workpiece support, and a diamond tool blade rigidly coupled to a spin-turner mechanism. The diamond tool blade is formed to include a cutting edge arranged to confront the hard and/or brittle workpiece to remove material from the workpiece to form precision-turned components such as optical lenses, mirrors, and optical molds.

Abstract: An apparatus for turning a hard and/or brittle material includes a precision workpiece spindle, a workpiece support, a hard and/or brittle workpiece rigidly coupled to the workpiece support, and a diamond tool blade rigidly coupled to a spin-turner mechanism. The diamond tool blade is formed to include a cutting edge arranged to confront the hard and/or brittle workpiece to remove material from the workpiece to form precision-turned components such as optical lenses, mirrors, and optical molds.

Abstract: An apparatus for turning a hard and/or brittle material includes a precision workpiece spindle, a workpiece support, a hard and/or brittle workpiece rigidly coupled to the workpiece support, and a diamond tool blade rigidly coupled to a spin-turner mechanism. The diamond tool blade is formed to include a cutting edge arranged to confront the hard and/or brittle workpiece to remove material from the workpiece to form precision-turned components such as optical lenses, mirrors, and optical molds.

Abstract: A method of enhancing capabilities is provided. A family of systems capability and operational analysis is conducted to generate a set of operationally decomposed capability needs. Further, a family of systems functional analysis and allocation is conducted on the set of operationally decomposed capability needs to determine a set of deficiencies. In addition, a family of systems design synthesis is conducted on the set of operationally decomposed capability needs, a set of existing solutions, and a set of emerging solutions to identify and describe an optimal integrated solution set of existing solutions and emerging solutions to satisfy the set of operationally decomposed capability needs. Further, the optimal integrated solution set of existing solutions and emerging solutions is generated from the family of systems design synthesis.

Abstract: An ultramicrotome diamond tool is provided with a diamond knife blade having first and second planar surfaces which intersect to define a cutting edge and a shank for holding the knife blade. In one embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (111) and (100) crystal planes and is primarily usable in materials science and machine tool applications. In a second embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool, the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (320) and (111) crystal planes and is primarily usable in biological science applications to cut biological tissue or the like. The blade is usable to cut a material specimen that has a longitudinal axis and that is being advanced in a direction along its longitudinal axis toward the ultramicrotome tool. The blade is mounted on a shank having a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An ultramicrotome diamond tool is provided with a diamond knife blade having first and second planar surfaces which intersect to define a cutting edge and a shank for holding the knife blade. In one embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (111) and (100) crystal planes and is primarily usable in materials science and machine tool applications. In a second embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool, the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (320) and (111) crystal planes and is primarily usable in biological science applications to cut biological tissue or the like. The blade is usable to cut a material specimen that has a longitudinal axis and that is being advanced in a direction along its longitudinal axis toward the ultramicrotome tool. The blade is mounted on a shank having a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An ultramicrotome diamond tool is provided with a diamond knife blade having first and second planar surfaces which intersect to define a cutting edge and a shank for holding the knife blade. In one embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (111) and (100) crystal planes and is primarily usable in materials science and machine tool applications. In a second embodiment of the ultramicrotome diamond tool, the cutting edge of the blade is defined by the intersection of naturally occurring (320) and (111) crystal planes and is primarily usable in biological science applications to cut biological tissue or the like. The blade is usable to cut a material specimen that has a longitudinal axis and that is being advanced in a direction along its longitudinal axis toward the ultramicrotome tool. The blade is mounted on a shank having a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Enhanced micromachining rates are observed when lapping discs with standard SiO.sub.x lapping coatings are doped with trivalent or pentavalent additives, such as boron or phosphorous. Doping can be accomplished by subjecting the SiO.sub.x material to a "post glow", i.e., an argon plasma in the presence of a source of the dopant.

Abstract: A stylus tip is fabricated from a portion of a synthetic diamond stone having a plurality of facets oriented along the {100} family of planes. The portion is bounded by a right circular cylinder having a base thereof centered along one of the {100} facets having a surface area larger than the average surface area of the {100} facets, and having a base diameter and height equal to about half the width of the one facet.