Characterization of the Diamond Wire Sawing Process for Monocrystalline Silicon by Raman Spectroscopy and SIREX Polarimetry

Sindy Würzner, Martin Herms, Thomas Kaden, Hans Joachim Möller and Matthias Wagner
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Sindy Würzner: Fraunhofer Technology Center for Semiconductor Materials (THM), Am St.-Niclas-Schacht 13, D-09599 Freiberg, Germany
Martin Herms: PVA Metrology & Plasma Solutions GmbH, Am Naßtal 6/8, D-07751 Jena-Maua, Germany
Thomas Kaden: Fraunhofer Technology Center for Semiconductor Materials (THM), Am St.-Niclas-Schacht 13, D-09599 Freiberg, Germany
Hans Joachim Möller: Fraunhofer Technology Center for Semiconductor Materials (THM), Am St.-Niclas-Schacht 13, D-09599 Freiberg, Germany
Matthias Wagner: PVA Metrology & Plasma Solutions GmbH, Am Naßtal 6/8, D-07751 Jena-Maua, Germany

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: A detailed approach to evaluate the sub-surface damage of diamond wire-sawn monocrystalline silicon wafers relating to the sawing process is presented. Residual stresses, the presence of amorphous silicon and microcracks are considered and related to diamond wire velocity and cutting ability. In particular, the degree of amorphization of the wafer surface is analyzed, as it may affect the etching performance (texturing) during solar cell manufacture. Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Infrared Stress Explorer (SIREX) measurements are used independently as non-destructive, contactless optical characterization methods to provide stress imaging with high spatial resolution. Raman mappings show that amorphous silicon layers can occur inhomogeneously across the surface of diamond wire-sawn wafers. The Raman and SIREX results reveal a connection between a higher fraction of the amorphous phase, a more inhomogeneous stress distribution and a lower peak maximum of the stress difference on wafers, depending on both the wire wear and the wire velocity. SIREX line scans of the in-plane difference of the principal stress components ? ? taken across the sawing grooves show significant differences in magnitude and periodicity. Furthermore, the results are compared with the microcrack depth from the same investigation areas. The possibility to optimize the diamond wire sawing processes by analyzing the sub-surface stress of the wafers is offered by complementary use of both Raman and SIREX measurements.

Keywords: diamond wire; silicon; wire velocity; wire cutting ability; stress imaging; stress-induced birefringence; amorphous phase; microcrack depth; Raman; SIREX (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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