Abstract:
APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A SCRIBED PLATE OF BRITTLE MATERIAL UTILIZES TWO FLEXIBLE MEMBRANES BETWEEN WHICH THE PLATE IS VACUUM CLAMPED. A UNIFORM FORCE SUCH AS FLUID PRESSURE FORCES THE MEMBRANES INTO A DIE WHICH CAUSES THE MEMBRANES TO TRANSMIT UNIAXIAL STRESSES TO THE PLATE TO SEPARATE IT ALONG SCRIBE LINES. SEPARATION ALONG A SET OF SCRIBE LINES ORTHOGONAL TO THE FIRST SET IS ACHIEVED BY USING A DIE WHICH IS ORTHOGONAL TO THE FIRST DIE.