The semiconductor manufacturing method using diamond blades has already improved wafering processes and resulted in significant cost savings in device fabrication. Additional gains in wafer productivity and quality may be made by adopting a systems-based approach to the slicing procedure.
Additional advancements, such as stainless-steel diamond, wheel cores, and increased cutting speeds, have resulted in considerable cost savings for both the materials processor and the device maker.
Today, automated factories with high throughput for workpieces up to 400 mm in blade diameter are available. Previous advancements were concentrated on the slicing machine and cutting wheels, however, slicing involves a plethora of other factors including wheel attachments, crystal mounting for slicing, coolant selection, handling, and worker skill and competency. Controlling all of these factors precisely may result in even more improvements and cost savings throughout the wafering procedure.
