# US 9,873,159 B2 · Systems and methods for manufacturing diamond coated wires > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,873,159 B2 - Document ID: US9873159B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/983,954 - Filed: 2015-12-30 - Published: 2016-06-30 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-30 - Assignees: Corner Star Limited - Applicants: SunEdison, Inc. - Inventors: Omid Rezvanian; Larry Wayne Shive; Rituraj Nandan; Dale A. Witte; Edward Calvin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873159B2 ## CPC - B23D 65/00: Making tools for sawing machines or sawing devices for use in cutting any kind of material - B23D 61/185: {Saw wires; Saw cables; Twisted saw strips} - B28D 5/045: {by cutting with wires or closed-loop blades (B28D5/042 takes precedence)} - B23D: PLANING; SLOTTING; SHEARING; BROACHING; SAWING; FILING; SCRAPING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (making toothed gears or the like B23F; cutting metal by applying heat locally B23K; arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B28D: WORKING STONE OR STONE-LIKE MATERIALS ## Abstract A method for designing a diamond coated wire for use in a wafer slicing system includes adjusting an initial diamond size distribution until an intermediate diamond size distribution is generated, wherein the intermediate diamond size distribution has a corresponding simulated penetration thickness value less than or equal a predetermined penetration thickness value, and wherein penetration thickness is a parameter proportional to a depth of subsurface damage that would occur when slicing an ingot using a diamond coated wire having an associated diamond size distribution. The method may include adjusting the intermediate diamond size distribution until a final diamond size distribution is generated, wherein the final diamond size distribution has a maximum diamond grit size that is substantially equal to a predetermined maximum diamond grit size, and manufacturing the diamond coated wire such that the diamond coated wire has a plurality of diamond grits that fit the final diamond size distribution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for designing a diamond coated wire for use in a wafer slicing system, the method comprising: adjusting an initial diamond size distribution until an intermediate diamond size distribution is generated, wherein the intermediate diamond size distribution has a corresponding simulated penetration thickness value less than or equal a predetermined penetration thickness value, and wherein penetration thickness is a parameter proportional to a depth of subsurface damage that would occur when slicing an ingot using a diamond coated wire having an associated diamond size distribution; adjusting the intermediate diamond size distribution until a final diamond size distribution is generated, wherein the final diamond size distribution has a maximum diamond grit size that is substantially equal to a predetermined maximum diamond grit size; and manufacturing the diamond coated wire such that the diamond coated wire has a plurality of diamond grits that fit the final diamond size distribution. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an initial diamond size distribution comprises adjusting a diamond size range of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein adjusting a diamond size range comprises reducing the diamond size range of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein reducing the diamond size range comprises reducing the diamond size range to approximately 8 microns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an initial diamond size distribution comprises adjusting a standard deviation of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting a standard deviation comprises increasing the standard deviation of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an initial diamond size distribution comprises maintaining an average diamond size of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined penetration thickness value is approximately 5 microns. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the intermediate diamond size distribution comprises adjusting an average diamond size of the intermediate diamond size distribution. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting an average diamond size of the intermediate diamond size distribution comprises increasing the average diamond size of the intermediate diamond size distribution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined maximum diamond grit size is between approximately 20 microns and 23 microns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated penetration thickness value is an average penetration thickness value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated penetration thickness value is a maximum penetration thickness value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein penetration thickness is defined as a thickness of ingot material that a diamond grit oriented substantially orthogonal to a resulting wafer surface would need to cut through to reach the resulting wafer surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an initial diamond size distribution comprises: reducing a diamond size range of the initial diamond size distribution; and increasing a standard deviation of the initial diamond size distribution. ### Claim 16 A diamond coated wire for use in a wafer slicing system, the diamond coated wire comprising a plurality of diamond grits fitting a predetermined diamond size distribution, wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a simulated penetration thickness value less than or equal to approximately 5 microns, wherein penetration thickness is a parameter proportional to a depth of subsurface damage that would occur when slicing an ingot using the diamond coated wire, and wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a maximum diamond grit size between approximately 20 microns and 23 microns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The diamond coated wire of claim 16, wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a diamond size range less than or equal to approximately 8 microns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The diamond coated wire of claim 16, wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a diamond size range that extends from approximately 12 microns to 20 microns. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The diamond coated wire of claim 16, wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a standard deviation greater than or equal to approximately 1.6 microns. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The diamond coated wire of claim 16, wherein the predetermined diamond size distribution has a standard deviation greater than or equal to approximately 3.2 microns.