US 6,941,940 B1Granted

Wire saw and process for slicing multiple semiconductor ingots

AssigneeMEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.

InventorsCarlo Zavattari, Ferdinando Severico, Paolo De Maria

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Abstract

A wire saw (10) for simultaneously slicing multiple, generally cylindrical monocrystalline ingots (14) into wafers. The wire saw includes a cutting head (16), an ingot support (12), and multiple generally parallel lengths of cutting wire (18) defining a cutting web (30). A slurry delivery system includes nozzles (34, 36, and 38) positioned for dispensing slurry along the wire web generally at lateral sides of each ingot. A process for simultaneously slicing at least two generally cylindrical semiconductor ingots into wafers includes mounting at least two ingots to a common ingot support, moving the ingot support relative to the cutting web so that the two ingots simultaneously press against the cutting web at cutting regions, and dispensing a liquid slurry to at least three locations on the wire web including two outermost sides of the cutting regions and a location between each pair of ingots.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A process for simultaneously slicing at least two generally cylindrical semiconductor ingots into wafers using a wire saw having a moveable cutting wire arranged in generally parallel reaches between guide rollers, at least one of the reaches defining a cutting web, the wire being adapted to cut through the ingots, the process comprising the steps of:

mounting said at least two ingots to a common ingot support so that the ingots are positioned in registration with the cutting web and with longitudinal axes of the ingots being generally parallel, non-coaxial, and generally perpendicular to the lengthwise extent of the wire in the cutting web, said ingot support including at least two mounting beams, each adapted for connection of a respective ingot thereto, a loading platform and an adaptor for holding said mounting beams, the platform having one receptacle configured to receive said adaptor and configured to receive one of the mounting beams free from said adaptor for mounting a single ingot for sawing;
moving the ingot support relative to the cutting web so that said at least two ingots simultaneously press against the cutting web at cutting regions where said ingots engage said wire web;
dispensing a liquid slurry to at least three locations on said wire web, said locations including two outermost sides of said ingot cutting regions and a location between each pair of ingots;
and
removing said adaptor from said receptacle of the ingot support and installing either a second adaptor or one mounting beam free from said adaptor into said receptacle for slicing at least one additional ingot.

2 more elements

A wire saw for slicing generally cylindrical monocrystalline ingots into wafers, the wire saw comprising:

a frame including a cutting head and an ingot support;
the cutting head comprising a cutting wire adapted to cut through the ingots, wire guide rollers mounted on the frame and supporting the wire for lengthwise movement of the wire, the wire being supported by the rollers in reaches between adjacent rollers, each reach including multiple generally parallel lengths of the wire for cutting multiple wafers from the ingots, at least one of the reaches defining a cutting web;
the ingot support being adapted for mounting at least one ingot thereon in registration with the cutting web and with longitudinal axes of said one ingot being generally perpendicular to the lengthwise extent of the wire in the cutting web, the ingot support including:
mounting beams, each adapted for connection of a respective ingot thereto,
an adaptor for holding said mounting beams, the adaptor being configured for holding multiple mounting beams for mounting multiple ingots on the ingot support, and
a loading platform having a receptacle configured to selectively receive either one of the mounting beams for mounting a single ingot for sawing or to receive said adaptor, said one receptacle thereby providing capability for converting the wire saw between configurations for slicing one ingot free from said adaptor and for slicing multiple ingots with said adaptor;
the frame mounting the cutting head and ingot support for relative motion such that the ingots mounted on the ingot support pass through the cutting web as the wire is driven in a lengthwise direction for substantially simultaneous slicing of wafers from the ingots by the wire.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.