Micromachining of alumina: a review

Alumina ceramics have a wide range of applications in the semiconductor, optics, biomedical, automotive, military and aerospace industries because of their exceptional mechanical strength and outstanding wear- and temperature-resistant properties. This review article provides a thorough understanding of the micromachining of alumina materials. It provides the most recent analyses of the traditional and nontraditional microscale machining of different grades of alumina. This article also compares the mechanism and performance of the various micromachining processes that are used to create 3D microfeatures on alumina. The challenges and recent research directions in the micromachining of alumina ceramics have also been discussed. Last but not least, suggestions for future research in the field of alumina micromachining have been made.