Microkerfs

Microkerfs are extremely small kerfs—slits or grooves cut into a material by precision cutting tools. The kerf width depends on tool geometry, blade thickness, feed rate, and material properties and can range from a few micrometers to fractions of a millimeter. The term is used across precision manufacturing, MEMS fabrication, and microfabrication contexts to distinguish small-scale straight cuts from standard saw kerfs.

Common methods to produce microkerfs include micro-milling with high-precision CNC machines, laser micromachining using ultrafast lasers, dicing with thin-kerf saws, waterjet slicing at micro scales, and chemical or isotropic etching processes.

Applications include creating microfluidic channels and features, forming grooves for optical components and waveguides, defining electrical isolation in microelectronic or MEMS devices, and preparing substrates for bonding or surface texturing.

Important considerations include kerf loss (material removed by cutting), tolerances and dimensional control, burr formation, heat-affected zones, and tool wear. Designers may compensate for kerf by adjusting nominal dimensions and using finishing steps such as polishing or deburring.

The term is related to the broader concept of kerf—the width of a cut produced by a blade.