Molecular dynamics simulation investigation on the plastic flow behaviour of silicon during nanometric cutting

Molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) was carried out using two types of interatomic potential function (a modified version of the Tersoff potential and an analytical bond order potential (ABOP)) to acquire an in-depth understanding of the material flow behaviour of single crystal silicon during nanometric cutting on three principal crystallographic planes and at different cutting temperatures. The key findings were that (i) the substrate material underneath the cutting tool was observed for the first time to experience a rotational flow akin to fluids at all the tested temperatures up to 1200 K. The degree of flow in terms of vorticity was found higher in the (111) crystal plane signifying better machinability on this orientation in accord with the current pool of knowledge (ii) an increase in the machining temperature reduces the springback effect and thereby the elastic recovery and (iii) the cutting orientation and the cutting temperature showed significant dependence on the location and position of the stagnation region in the cutting zone of the substrate. However, a major anecdote of the study was that