Anyone who is aware of the semiconductor industry will most likely have heard of silicon grinding. Silicon is a material that is generally used by those companies that make integrated circuits. Over the years, demand for the circuits and hence for silicon, has been such that companies are demanding more of it at higher qualities. To this end, there has been studies looking into ways of changing the manufacturing process to help produce a more efficient product at a consistently high quality.
Semiconductor devices, such as digital circuits, need silicon for their manufacture. Historically, the material is also used for making read only memory and random access memory, as well as the transistor, a term apparently invented in the 1940s by Bell Telephone Labs.
Over ninety per cent of semiconductor devices use crystal silicone in their manufacture. And as approximately 150 million wafers of varying sizes are made every year, it's important to understand how vital the steady supply of the material is as well as quality control.
The crystal itself is slicing, flattened - which is known as grinding or lapping - etched and polished before it can be ready for the use with which it was intended. The reason the grinding part of its manufacture is so vital is because it helps to eliminate cracks and by doing this the substance is more effective. The actual process involves a diamond wheel rotating on its axis. It heads towards a silicon wafer, one that's also rotating, but is not actually moving towards the diamond wheel because it's held in place.
The presence of cracks on both the surface and subsurface is the curse of many a grinder. Because of imperfections persist in the grinding process, much of the wafer is actually removed during the grind. One method that might help put paid to this is using smaller diamond grains with which to grind the surface of the wafer, a method that has been tested in the past, with what some think are promising results.
The ELID technique, which means electrolytic in-process dressing, involves using tiny diamond grains to rub against the wafer. These apparently have the ability to self-dress, which in the industry means old grains fall off automatically, to be replaced by newer ones underneath.
The use of ELID has had some believing that smaller diamond grains on the wheels will lead to a much more efficient manufacturing process. Especially as with the traditional process, it's hard to make a wheel with the same tiny grains that are used on an ELID wheel.
The silicon grinding process, like many manufacturing processes, has seen some changes throughout the years. However, it may not be ready for ELID just yet. Some report that although the results are pretty good, the quality of the flattening isn't as consistent as the traditional process. Time will tell if these issues can be addressed.
Semiconductor devices, such as digital circuits, need silicon for their manufacture. Historically, the material is also used for making read only memory and random access memory, as well as the transistor, a term apparently invented in the 1940s by Bell Telephone Labs.
Over ninety per cent of semiconductor devices use crystal silicone in their manufacture. And as approximately 150 million wafers of varying sizes are made every year, it's important to understand how vital the steady supply of the material is as well as quality control.
The crystal itself is slicing, flattened - which is known as grinding or lapping - etched and polished before it can be ready for the use with which it was intended. The reason the grinding part of its manufacture is so vital is because it helps to eliminate cracks and by doing this the substance is more effective. The actual process involves a diamond wheel rotating on its axis. It heads towards a silicon wafer, one that's also rotating, but is not actually moving towards the diamond wheel because it's held in place.
The presence of cracks on both the surface and subsurface is the curse of many a grinder. Because of imperfections persist in the grinding process, much of the wafer is actually removed during the grind. One method that might help put paid to this is using smaller diamond grains with which to grind the surface of the wafer, a method that has been tested in the past, with what some think are promising results.
The ELID technique, which means electrolytic in-process dressing, involves using tiny diamond grains to rub against the wafer. These apparently have the ability to self-dress, which in the industry means old grains fall off automatically, to be replaced by newer ones underneath.
The use of ELID has had some believing that smaller diamond grains on the wheels will lead to a much more efficient manufacturing process. Especially as with the traditional process, it's hard to make a wheel with the same tiny grains that are used on an ELID wheel.
The silicon grinding process, like many manufacturing processes, has seen some changes throughout the years. However, it may not be ready for ELID just yet. Some report that although the results are pretty good, the quality of the flattening isn't as consistent as the traditional process. Time will tell if these issues can be addressed.
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