Study of electrical discharge machining technology for slicing silicon ingots

Silicon slicing technology is an undergoing process and its performance improvements meet the ever-challenging and versatile demands. A new attempt to apply the WEDM strategy to slice the semiconductor materials is studied. The barriers from unusual material characteristics are to be conquered to make this idea realizable. The existing WEDM technology is utilized to slice the heavy-doped silicon ingot and its feasibility is examined. The machining rate and surface roughness are measured under various current on times and servo voltages in both the water immersed and water flushing WEDM machines. If small current on time is collocated with proper off time and lower gap voltage sensitivity under automatic feed mode, the stable area machining rate of around 76 mm²/min can be attained, and the R_a value is 3.6 μm or so which is acceptable if the following polishing procedure is considered. The thickness of defects to be polished can be predicted from the SEM photographs of the cross-sections of the sliced wafers. If the wire diameter is 0.25 mm and the wafer thickness is 1 mm, the portion of material loss including the kerf and the amount to be polished is under 26%.     

电镀金刚石线锯切割光伏多晶硅的表面特性与锯丝磨损分析

电镀金刚石线锯切割的光伏多晶硅切片表面特性,影响其断裂强度和后续的制绒工艺;为探究线锯锯切工艺参数对多晶硅切片表面特性的影响规律,揭示电镀金刚石锯丝的磨损机理,开展了光伏多晶硅的电镀金刚石线锯切片试验。研究结果表明:锯切的多晶硅表面存在由金刚石磨粒的塑性剪切、微切削去除形成的塑性浅划痕与较深的沟槽,及材料脆性去除留下的表面破碎微凹坑;切片表面材料的塑性去除和脆性去除相对比例随工艺参数组合变化而变化,增大晶片进给速度,降低走丝速度,切片表面粗糙度增大,表面形貌逐渐由塑性沟槽为主转变为以破碎微凹坑为主;使用表面镀镍(金属化)的金刚石颗粒制备的电镀金刚石锯丝的磨损形态在稳定阶段主要是磨粒磨平,使用后期主要是磨粒脱落和镀层磨损。      

树脂金刚石切割线切割硅片延时现象分析

为消除树脂金刚石线切割硅片的延时现象,建立切割模型研究单颗金刚石树脂层退让性,分析退让量δ和切割线弓A的关系。理论研究表明:线弓的变化量和树脂层的退让量正相关。选不同硬度的树脂按相同工艺制备金刚石切割线,并进行单晶硅切割对比实验,用扫描电镜观察切割后的树脂金刚石线锯。发现:在相同的切割条件下,以较软的树脂制成的金刚石切割线其退让行为显著、线弓大、切割时间长。使用高强树脂,可增加树脂层的固化强度,降低树脂层的退让性,有效解决切割延时问题。      

硅片精密切割多线锯研究进展

随着半导体行业的发展,尤其是太阳能电池对大直径硅片的需求不断增加,对硅片的切割精度要求越来越高.传统的外圆和内圆切割已经不能满足现有硅片大尺寸、小切缝、高质量和生产效率的要求.本文对大直径硅片精密切割中最常使用的多线锯切割进行介绍,对游离磨料多线锯的切割机理、浆料特性、切割工艺和固着磨料多线锯锯丝制造方法、切割工艺等方面的研究现状进行了综述.     

钎焊金刚石线锯切割单晶硅材料时的断裂行为研究

利用铜基钎料钎焊制备小直径金刚石线锯,观察线锯形貌,测试线锯力学性能,并在不同切割参数下对单晶硅材料进行切割,记录观察切割过程中的线锯受力,观察线锯断口形貌,探讨小直径钎焊金刚石线锯线锯过程中断裂行为及断裂机理。研究结果表明,线锯的断裂主要有正常疲劳断裂和非正常拉断。     

金刚石线锯切割单晶硅表面缺陷与锯丝磨损分析

采用电镀金刚石线锯对单晶硅进行了锯切实验,使用扫描电子显微镜对单晶硅锯切的表面缺陷与锯丝失效机理进行了研究,分析了走丝速度和工件进给速度对锯切单晶硅表面缺陷特征的影响.分析发现:线锯锯切的硅片表面缺陷主要有较长较深的沟槽、较浅的断续划痕、材料脆性去除留下的表面破碎及个别较大较深的凹坑.走丝速度增大,工件进给速度降低,锯...     

游离磨料线切割硅晶体中的磨粒力学行为研究综述

游离磨料线切割具有切割效率高、切口材料损耗小、表面损伤程度浅、厚度小、切割噪声小等优点而广泛应用于半导体和光伏产业.本文阐述了游离磨料线切割的原理,对游离磨料线切割过程中磨粒力学行为的理论模型研究进行了综述,主要包括磨粒压入力学模型、流体动压滚动力学模型、切削变形力学模型.此外,还从多磨粒的压入效应、切割液的运动方式上...     

Semi-empirical model of efficiency of wire electrical discharge machining of hard-to-machine materials

In this study, the efficiency of wire electrical discharge machining of hard-to-machine materials was investigated experimentally. Uncoated brass wire, 0.25 mm diameter, zinc oxide coated brass wire and brass CuZn20 coated brass CuZn50 wire were utilized in the conducted research. The following variables were chosen as important WEDM parameters: discharge time t_on, average working voltage U. The following properties of machined materials, such as: melting point T_t, electrical conductivity σ, thermal conductivity K, thermal expansion coefficient k, density ρ, heat capacity c_p, were selected to develop the semi-empirical model of volumetric efficiency of WEDM. The variation of the WEDM efficiency in cutting different materials and applying different wire electrodes and different process parameters was modelled semi-empirically by employing dimensional analysis.     

Acceleration of groove formation in silicon using catalytic wire electrodes for development of a slicing technique

A novel electrochemical technique for silicon slicing in which anodic potential is applied to a platinum wire, keeping it in contact with silicon, is proposed. Since silicon was dissolved in a solution containing hydrogen fluoride at the site of contact with the platinum wire electrode, a goove was formed in the silicon. The grooving speed depended on the concentration of hydrogen fluoride and additives in the solution. A grooving speed of 0.85 mm/h was obtained at room temperature using an electrolyte composed of 30 wt% hydrofluoric acid, 1 mM iodine, and 0.03 vol% glycerol. Iodine acted as a catalyst for the oxidaton of silicon, and glycerol prevented the filling of grooves with gases. Further increase in grooving speed to 1.0 mm/h was achieved by applying pulsed potentials oscillating between 1 and 2 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the same electrolyte.     

The laws of silicon ingot formation by combustion reaction

The formation of a phase pure silicon ingot from SiO₂+Al+KClO₃ and Na₂SiO₃+Al+KClO₃ systems was investigated thermodynamically and experimentally under combustion mode, known also as self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). The regularities of combustion and phase formation versus KClO₃ concentration by a thermocouple technique were obtained. The morphology, chemical and phase composition of the silicon ingot were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ICP-analysis. The method reported here proved effective in producing silicon ingots with a purity of 98%.     

单晶硅切片加工技术研究进展

单晶硅切片加工是集成电路产业和光伏产业的重要环节,其加工方式和加工质量直接影响到晶片的出片率、晶圆衬底和光伏太阳能电池板的生产成本。随着晶片尺寸的不断增大,线锯切片技术已成为目前单晶硅片的主流切片加工技术。为实现单晶硅片高效、精密、低裂纹损伤的切片加工,阐述了线锯切片技术的分类及其加工特点,总结了金刚石线锯切片加工机理的研究现状,探讨了对金刚石线锯切片加工过程的微观分析,概括了单晶硅切片加工引起的裂纹损伤及其抑制措施,指出了单晶硅切片加工技术的发展趋势和面临的挑战。      

Microstructures and wear resistance of high boron and low carbon ferroalloy using hybrid powder/ wire overlaying method

The high boron alloy surfacing layer was easily cracked due to its insufficient toughness by using hybrid powder/wire overlaying method. In order to explore the cracked mechanism, the microstructures and the wear resistance of the samples with different boron contents were studied. Further, phases analysis, microhardness, macrohardness and wear test were also carried out. The boron content depended microstructures were observed. The precipitation of the Fe ₂ B, Fe ₃ ( C, B) , Fe ₂₃ ( C, B) ₆ were increased with the increase of boron content. It was found that the wear resistance was independent of the macrohardness as the macrohardness increased firstly and then remained steady at ~ 62 HRC. However, the wear resistance was depended on the boron contents, and which increased with the increase of the boron contents. The abrasive loss mechanism changed from plastic deformation removal to fracture removal.     

Improving machining performance of wire electrochemical discharge machining by adding SiC abrasive to electrolyte

The use of wire electrochemical discharge machining (WECDM) to slice hard brittle materials has recently been studied because its effectiveness is independent of the mechanical characteristics of the machined materials. Therefore, materials with high hardness, brittleness, strength and electrical insulation, which are difficult-to-cut, can be machined. In ECDM, the electrochemical reaction produces hydrogen bubbles, which accumulate around the cathode. A thin gas layer forms on the surface of the electrode and isolates the electrode from the electrolyte. When a voltage that exceeds the critical voltage is applied, continuous discharge occurs. The material near the electrode is removed by the discharge erosion and chemical etching. The use of WECDM to cut electrically insulating materials has only recently been investigated. However, the breakdown of the gas in the bubbles and the vibration of the wire in WECDM strongly affect the shape accuracy. This work aims to improve the over cut quality by adding SiC abrasive to the electrolyte. A mechanism that combines discharge, chemical etching and abrasive cutting is studied. The effects on expansion, roughness and material removal rate (MRR) are discussed. The experimental results reveal that adding abrasive reduces the slit expansion because it increases the critical voltage. The particles disrupt the bubble accumulation to form an isolating layer around the wire, increasing the critical voltage and reducing the discharge energy. The surface roughness is improved because the abrasive helps to refine the micro-cracks and melted zone that is formed by discharge heat erosion. Meanwhile, smaller grit produces lower roughness. The quality of the slit can be controlled; its expansion and roughness of the slit are 0.024 mm and 0.84 um Ra, respectively.     

Arc heating hot wire assisted arc welding technique for low resistance welding wire

Abstract

An assistant arc was used to preheat the wire for hot wire tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding which was independent on the resistance of the welding wires and avoided the drawbacks of the traditional hot wire preheating method. The new method is suitable for low resistance wire such as copper and aluminium. The experimental results showed that the wire temperature varied linearly with preheating current and hyperbolically with wire feeding speed. The temperature of wires achieved 60% of their melting points when LF6, H90, HS201 and H08Mn2Si welding wires were used at a current less than 50 A. With arc assisted hot wire, the welding deposition efficiency of the HS201 wire was increased by 96% compared with the traditional TIG welding method, while its microstructure was similar to that of the cold wire welding.     

解决数控加工时断刀现象和效率低下的技术问题

CNC编程加工过程中，在加工条件相同（机床、刀具、工件材质等）的情况下，通过充分利用PowerMILL编程软件的优化功能和调整加工工艺，消除断刀现象，提高加工效率。     

Micropatterning of Ni-based metallic glass by pulsed wire electrochemical micro machining

The technique of wire electrochemical micro machining (WECMM) is proposed firstly for the micropatterning of Ni-based metallic glass in this paper. Metallic glass (MG) exhibits many outstanding properties such as high hardness and strength, which enable it to be used as functional and structural materials in micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). A significant limitation to the application of MGs is the challenge of shaping them on micro scale. WECMM is a non-traditional machining technique to fabricate microstructures that has some unique advantages over other methods, which will be a promising technique for micro shaping of metallic glass structures. Taking the example of a Ni-based glassy alloy, Ni₇₂Cr₁₉Si₇B₂, the polarization and fabrication characteristic in dilute hydrochloric acid electrolyte were investigated. Changes in the machined slit width in terms of several experimental parameters were investigated to find the optimal ones. Finally, the optimal machining parameters: HCl electrolyte concentration of 0.1 M, applied voltage of 4.5 V, pulse duration of 80 ns, pulse period of 3 μs and feed rate of 0.3 μm s⁻¹ were employed for the fabrication of microstructures. Such as a micro square helix with a slit width of 14.0 μm, standard deviation of 0.2 μm and total length up to 2000 μm, along with a micro pentagram structure with side length of 90 μm and sharp corner of 36°, were machined with a high level of stability and accuracy.     

High pressure waterjet cooling/lubrication to improve machining efficiency in milling

The efficiency of the metal cutting operations depends upon the thermal/frictional conditions at the tool-chip interface. The use of high pressure waterjet as a coolant/lubricant to improve the thermal/frictional conditions in milling operations was studied here. The influence of high pressure waterjet delivered into tool-chip interface in two different methods, namely, waterjet injected directly into the tool-chip interface through a hole in the tool rake face, and waterjet injected into tool-chip interface through an external nozzle, was explored in this study. The effectiveness of these developed methods was evaluated in terms of cutting force, surface finish, chip shape and tool wear.     

Damage-free machining of monocrystalline silicon carbide

Cutting tests of monocrystalline SiC, on the surface of which an amorphous layer was preformed by ion implantation, were performed. Ductile-mode machining was observed at a depth of cut smaller than 60 nm. At a depth of cut larger than 60 nm, cracks were observed on the work surface. However, transmission electron micrographs show that crack propagation was obstructed at the interface between the amorphous and crystalline layers even under brittle-mode machining, and no subsurface damage extended into the crystalline layer. The results suggest that the damage-free machining of monocrystalline SiC is possible by surface modification to an amorphous structure.     

Abrasive electrochemical multi-wire slicing of solar silicon ingots into wafers

To meet the growing demands of the global photovoltaic (PV) industry, preparing large scale and ultra-thin solar wafers becomes one of the key issues. This paper presents the preparatory investigations of slicing solar silicon ingot into wafers by an abrasive electrochemical method based on a multi-wire saw system. The anodic passivation on silicon can be controlled by applying an anodic potential during the mechanical slicing process, which improves the surface integrity and material removal rate remarkably. This new hybrid machining method has no influence on subsequent cleaning of wafers and preparing the solar cells, and the average photoelectric transformation efficiency is >17.5%.