Aligned multi-diamond cutting tool assembly for creating microreplication tools

A method of creating a cutting tool assembly used for creating a micro-replication work piece that creates micro-replication structures, the method comprising:

• mounting a first tool shank in a mounting structure of the cutting tool assembly, the first tool shank defining a first diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm;
• mounting a second tool shank in the mounting structure of the cutting tool assembly, the second tool shank defining a second diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm;
• and
• aligning the first and second tool shanks in the mounting structure such that the first and second diamond tips are aligned in a cutting direction of the first and second diamond tips to within a tolerance of less than 10 microns such that when the cutting tool assembly cuts into the micro-replication work piece during a single cutting pass along the cutting direction, the first diamond tip creates a groove in the micro-replication work piece of depth D1 and the second diamond tip does at least one of the following:
• creates a deeper groove of depth D2 over the groove of depth D1, and
• creates a sub-feature of depth D2 into the groove of depth D1, wherein the groove created by the first diamond tip and the deeper groove or sub-feature created by the second diamond tip collectively define a micro-replicated feature in the micro-replication work piece, and wherein the micro-replicated feature in the micro-replication work piece defines a height and a width less than 1000 microns.

A cutting tool assembly used for creating a micro-replication work piece that creates micro-replication structures, the cutting tool assembly comprising:

• a mounting structure;
• and
• a tool shank mounted in the mounting structure, the tool shank defining a first diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm and a second diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm;
• and
• wherein the first and second diamond tips are aligned in a cutting direction of the cutting tool assembly such that when the first and second diamond tips cut into the micro-replication work piece during a single cutting pass along the cutting direction, the first diamond tip creates a groove in the micro-replication work piece of depth D1 and the second diamond tip does at least one of the following:
• creates a deeper groove of depth D2 over the groove of depth D1, and
• creates a sub-feature of depth D2 into the groove of depth D1, wherein the groove created by the first diamond tip and the deeper groove or sub-feature created by the second diamond tip collectively define a micro-replicated feature in the micro-replication work piece, and wherein the micro-replicated feature in the micro-replication work piece defines a height and a width less than 1000 microns.

A micro-replication system comprising:

• a micro-replication work piece used to create micro-replication structures;
• and
• a cutting tool assembly that creates features in the work piece wherein the features in the work piece define micro-replication features in the micro-replication structures when the micro-replication work piece is used to create the micro-replication structures, the cutting tool assembly comprising:
• a mounting structure;
• a first tool shank mounted in the mounting structure, the first tool shank defining a first diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm;
• and
• a second tool shank mounted in the mounting structure, the second tool shank defining a second diamond tip defining a width less than 1 mm,
• wherein the first and second tool shanks are positioned in the mounting structure such that the first and second diamond tips are aligned in a cutting direction of the cutting tool assembly to within a tolerance of less than 10 microns such that when the cutting tool assembly cuts into the micro-replication work piece during a single cutting pass along the cutting direction, the first diamond tip creates a groove in the micro-replication work piece of depth D1 and the second diamond tip does at least one of the following:
• creates a deeper groove of depth D2 over the groove of depth D1, and
• creates a sub-feature of depth D2 into the groove of depth D1, wherein the groove created by the first diamond tip and the deeper groove or sub-feature created by the second diamond tip collectively define at least one of the micro-replicated features in the micro-replication work piece, and wherein the micro-replicated features in the micro-replication work piece define heights and widths less than 1000 microns.