Processes and apparatuses for manufacturing wafers
AssigneeRayton Solar Inc.
InventorAndrew X. Yakub
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The process for manufacturing wafers includes the steps of mounting an ingot as a work piece in a manner that permits rotation about a longitudinal axis of rotation and rotating the ingot about its longitudinal axis of rotation to permit a microwave device that generates an energized beam to penetrate an outer surface layer thereof. Furthermore, the process includes exfoliating the outer surface layer with the energized beam, removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the ingot as a continuous planar strip and cutting the continuous planar strip into a wafer.
Claims26
A process for manufacturing wafers, comprising the steps of:
- mounting an ingot as a work piece in a manner that permits rotation about a longitudinal axis of rotation;
- rotating said ingot about said longitudinal axis of rotation;
- energizing an accelerator device for generating an energized beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of said rotating ingot;
- exfoliating said outer surface layer with said energized beam;
- applying a coolant directly to said outer surface layer of said ingot for cooling said ingot at a penetration point where said energized beam bombards said outer surface layer of said solid core ingot;
- removing said exfoliated outer surface layer from said ingot as a continuous planar strip;
- and
- cutting said continuous planar strip into a wafer.
A process for manufacturing wafers, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a solid core ingot comprising a cylinder carried by a rotatable shaft mountable to a rotor for rotating said cylindrical solid core ingot about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a vacuum chamber;
- rotating said solid core ingot about said longitudinal axis of rotation in said vacuum chamber;
- energizing an accelerator device comprising a klystron for generating an energized beam comprising a proton beam or an ion beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of said rotating solid core ingot;
- exfoliating said outer surface layer with said energized beam in said vacuum chamber;
- cooling said solid core ingot at a penetration point where said energized beam bombards said outer surface layer of said solid core ingot simultaneously while exfoliating said outer surface layer with said energized beam while rotating said solid core ingot about said longitudinal axis of rotation in said vacuum chamber;
- removing said exfoliated outer surface layer from said solid core ingot as a continuous planar strip and transversely moving said continuous planar strip along a conveyor synchronized with said rotating solid core ingot;
- and
- stamping said continuous planar strip into a plurality of wafer.
An apparatus for manufacturing wafers from a solid core ingot work piece, comprising:
- a rotator configured to selectively mountably receive and rotate said solid core ingot about a longitudinal axis of rotation;
- an accelerator for producing an energized beam, said accelerator being positioned relative to said rotator such that said energized beam aligns with said longitudinal axis of rotation, said energized beam comprising an energy level sufficient to penetrate an outer surface layer of said rotating solid core ingot;
- a water cooler or an air cooler positioned to apply coolant directly to said outer surface layer of said solid core ingot to cool a penetration point where said energized beam bombards said outer surface layer of said solid core ingot for controlling a surface temperature of said rotating solid core ingot;
- a conveyor synchronized with said rotating solid core ingot to transversely carry as a continuous planar strip an exfoliated outer surface layer away from said rotating solid core ingot;
- and
- a cutter for cutting said continuous planar strip into one or more wafers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.