A new abrasive jet machining (AJM) device has been developed for precise etching and patterning of hard and brittle materials, such as ceramics, glass and silicon. However, since conventional AJM devices cannot control precisely the amount of blasting abrasives, applying this method to precision machining has been difficult. Moreover, in the machining of small holes, colliding abrasives accumulate in the bottom of the hole, preventing the direct impact of successive abrasives onto the workpiece. As a result, the machining efficiency decreases as the machining progresses. In the present paper, the machining characteristics of the new AJM device are investigated, and direct etching and patterning of glass without masking are demonstrated.
