A method of sampling a multi-layered material and a micro-sampling tool are described. The sampling method includes penetrating a top surface of a material in a component of interest with a micro-cutting tool to a predetermined depth sufficient to include each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base, without cutting through the full depth of the base, undercutting from the depth of penetration through the base to define a micro-sample of the multi-layered material, and removing the micro-sample with each layer of the multi-layered material intact. The micro-sampler includes a cutting tool calibrated to cut to a depth no greater than 2 mm, and in some aspects, no greater than 200 microns into a multi-layered material, the material having a top surface and a metallic or ceramic base and a container for removing and storing a micro-sample cut from the material with each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base intact.

A method of sampling a multi-layered material and a micro-sampling tool are described. The sampling method includes penetrating a top surface of a material in a component of interest with a micro-cutting tool to a predetermined depth sufficient to include each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base, without cutting through the full depth of the base, under-cutting from the depth of penetration through the base to define a micro-sample of the multi-layered material, and removing the micro-sample with each layer of the multi-layered material intact. The micro-sampler includes a cutting tool calibrated to cut to a depth no greater than 2 mm, and in some aspects, no greater than 200 microns into a multi-layered material, the material having a top surface and a metallic or ceramic base and a container for removing and storing a micro-sample cut from the material with each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base intact.

A synthetic quartz glass substrate is machined by bringing a surface of the synthetic quartz glass substrate as the workpiece into contact with and superposing it on a surface of a protective member made of synthetic quartz glass to effect optical contact bonding of the workpiece and the protective member, and passing a cutting tool through the optical contact bonding surfaces. This machining process is able to effectively prevent the generation of microdefects at the cutting tool entry site and extraction site during a cutting operation. Moreover, a fixing agent is not used to join the workpiece and the protective member, and so productivity is high because there is no need for the application and later removal of a fixing agent.

A synthetic quartz glass substrate is machined by bringing a surface of the synthetic quartz glass substrate as the workpiece into contact with and superposing it on a surface of a protective member made of synthetic quartz glass to effect optical contact bonding of the workpiece and the protective member, and passing a cutting tool through the optical contact bonding surfaces. This machining process is able to effectively prevent the generation of microdefects at the cutting tool entry site and extraction site during a cutting operation. Moreover, a fixing agent is not used to join the workpiece and the protective member, and so productivity is high because there is no need for the application and later removal of a fixing agent.

An apparatus and method of manufacturing silicon seed rod in which two silicon seeds are joined into one long silicon seed rod by mechanical coupling. A mechanical seed coupler is a body in having an outer wall, an upper surface with an upper aperture, a lower surface with a lower aperture, and an inner wall surrounding an inner space. The mechanical seed couple can be of a shape including a cylinder shape, an elliptical tube shape, a rectangular tube shape and a square tube shape. Furthermore the mechanical seed coupler can be of unitary construction, made from one solid piece of material, or it can be composed of subparts.

A method of sampling a multi-layered material and a micro-sampling tool are described. The sampling method includes penetrating a top surface of a material in a component of interest with a micro-cutting tool to a predetermined depth sufficient to include each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base, without cutting through the full depth of the base, under-cutting from the depth of penetration through the base to define a micro-sample of the multi-layered material, and removing the micro-sample with each layer of the multi-layered material intact. The micro-sampler includes a cutting tool calibrated to cut to a depth no greater than 2 mm, and in some aspects, no greater than 200 microns into a multi-layered material, the material having a top surface and a metallic or ceramic base and a container for removing and storing a micro-sample cut from the material with each layer of the multi-layered material and a portion of the base intact.

A core drill bit can include a first region and a second region. The first region can include abrasive particles in a first bond matrix, and the second region can include abrasive particles in a second bond matrix. The first region is connected to the second region. The first region comprises at least one different abrasive characteristic than the second region. At least one of the first and second region can include a Fast Fourier Transform value greater than 1.

A method of manufacturing a small-diameter wafer from a wafer having one face and the other face, the one face being mirror-polished, is provided. The method includes a protective member covering step of covering the one face of the wafer with a first protective member and the other face of the wafer with a second protective member, a cut-out step of cutting out a plurality of small-diameter wafers from the wafer covered with the first protective member and the second protective member, a chamfering step of chamfering an outer periphery portion of each of the plurality of small-diameter wafers, and a protective member removing step of removing the first protective member and the second protective member from each of the plurality of small-diameter wafers.

A semiconductor substrate manufacturing method includes: epitaxially growing a columnar III nitride semiconductor single crystal on a principal place of a circular substrate; removing a hollow cylindrical region at an outer peripheral edge side of the III nitride semiconductor single crystal to leave a solid columnar region at an inside of the hollow cylindrical region of the III nitride semiconductor single crystal; and slicing the solid columnar region after removing the hollow cylindrical region. The hollow cylindrical region is removed such that the shape of the III nitride semiconductor single crystal is always keeps an axial symmetry that a center axis of the III nitride semiconductor single crystal is defined as a symmetric axis.

An apparatus and method of manufacturing silicon seed rod in which two silicon seeds are joined into one long silicon seed rod by mechanical coupling. A mechanical seed coupler is a body in having an outer wall, an upper surface with an upper aperture, a lower surface with a lower aperture, and an inner wall surrounding an inner space. The mechanical seed couple can be of a shape including a cylinder shape, an elliptical tube shape, a rectangular tube shape and a square tube shape. Furthermore the mechanical seed coupler can be of unitary construction, made from one solid piece of material, or it can be composed of subparts.