Float zone silicon wafer manufacturing system and related process
AssigneeRayton Solar Inc.
InventorsAndrew X. Yakub, James Benjamin Rosenzweig, Mark Stanley Goorsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The process for manufacturing a silicon wafer includes steps for mounting a float zone silicon work piece for exfoliation, energizing a microwave device for generating an energized beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of the float zone silicon work piece, exfoliating the outer surface layer of the float zone silicon work piece with the energized beam, and removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the float zone silicon work piece as the silicon wafer having a thickness less than 100 micrometers.
Claims21
A method for manufacturing a silicon wafer, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a stationary silicon work piece having a polygonal cross section for exfoliation;
- energizing a microwave device for generating an energized beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece;
- exfoliating the outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece with the energized beam;
- applying a coolant to the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece for cooling the stationary silicon work piece at a penetration point where the energized beam bombards the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece sufficient to substantially prevent changes in the chemical properties of the stationary silicon work piece at the penetration point as a result of increased local temperatures;
- and
- removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the stationary silicon work piece as the silicon wafer comprising a thickness less than 100 micrometers.
A method for manufacturing a silicon wafer, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a stationary silicon work piece having a polygonal cross section comprising an oxygen content less than 1015 oxygen atoms per cubic centimeter;
- energizing a microwave device for generating an energized beam comprising an implantation density of approximately 5×1014 to 5×1016 ions/cm2for penetrating an outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece;
- exfoliating the outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece with the energized beam;
- applying a coolant to the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece for cooling the stationary silicon work piece at a penetration point where the energized beam bombards the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece sufficient to substantially prevent changes in the chemical properties of the stationary silicon work piece at the penetration point as a result of increased local temperatures;
- and
- removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the stationary silicon work piece as the silicon wafer comprising a thickness less than 100 micrometers.
A method for manufacturing a plurality of silicon wafers, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a stationary silicon work piece having a polygonal cross section comprising an oxygen content less than 1015 oxygen atoms per cubic centimeter and having a thickness of 160-600 microns;
- energizing a microwave device for generating an energized beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece;
- exfoliating the outer surface layer of the polygonal cross section of the stationary silicon work piece with the energized beam;
- applying a coolant to the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece for cooling the stationary silicon work piece at a penetration point where the energized beam bombards the outer surface layer of the stationary silicon work piece sufficient to substantially prevent changes in the chemical properties of the stationary silicon work piece at the penetration point as a result of increased local temperatures;
- removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the stationary silicon work piece as the silicon wafer comprising a thickness of 2-70 microns, wherein the energized beam moves relative to the stationary silicon work piece;
- cutting the silicon wafer into multiple silicon wafers;
- and
- moving each of the multiple silicon wafers along a conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.