Silicon ingot slicing apparatus using microbubbles and wire electric discharge machining

A silicon ingot slicing apparatus using microbubbles and wire electric discharge machining, the silicon ingot slicing apparatus comprising:

• a water tank containing a jig attached to a lower surface of a silicon ingot, a conductive adhesive layer adhered between the silicon ingot and the jig, and deionized water (DIW);
• an electrode connected to the silicon ingot;
• a wire for slicing the silicon ingot while being transported in a first direction by a wire driver;
• an additive injection passage for injecting an additive for generating the microbubbles into the water tank;
• and
• a power supply for supplying power to the electrode and the wire so that arc discharge and electrolysis are performed between the silicon ingot and the wire,
• wherein the silicon ingot slicing apparatus is configured to:
• generate the microbubbles on the surfaces of both the electrode and the silicon ingot by the additive, during application of a DC pulse voltage above 25V and less than 100V, by the power supply, to the electrode and the wire, wherein the generated microbubbles cause a dielectric breakdown of the DIW and an increase in electric discharge frequency of the silicon ingot slicing apparatus, and
• slice the silicon ingot by moving the wire in the first direction during the application of the DC pulse voltage, the DC pulse voltage generating the arc discharge between the silicon ingot and the wire,
• wherein an entirety of the silicon ingot is contained in the DIW;
• and
• wherein the microbubbles have an average particle diameter of 40 to 60 μm and a volume of the microbubbles is between 5% and 30% a volume of the DIW.