Development of Methods of Producing Large Areas of Silicon Sheet by the Slicing of Silicon Ingots Using inside Diameter (ID) Saws. First Quarterly Report

摘要

An STC 16 inch automated ID slicing machine (Model SMA-4401) is being used for this effort. The saw has been modified to accept an STC Programmable Electric Feed System, STC Crystal Rotating System and an STC Dyna-Track Blade Monitoring and Control System. The saw and accessories will be used to slice 100 mm diameter single crystal silicon ingots while rotating them. The automated saw will automatically recover the wafers and load them into a cassette. The amount of material lost during slicing is being reduced by using smaller blades than ones normally used to slice 100 mm wafers. Some blades have been manufactured with cutting edge thickness as low as 0.20 mm. Initial slicing runs on 75 mm diameter silicon has been successful on blades in the 0.23 to 0.24 mm cutting edge thickness range. The thinner blades will be used to slice 100 mm silicon while rotating the boule. (ERA citation 05:013270)