Structured wire: From single wire experiments to multi-crystalline silicon wafer mass production

•Fundamental studies of structured wire foresee the advantages of replacing straight wire in silicon wafer mass production.•Wafering throughput was increased by 106% with structured wire.•Wire and slurry consumption were decreased by more than 40% using structured wire.•The total power consumption was decreased by 28% using structured wire.•Direct cost per wafer was decreased by 40% without changing slurry system and wire saws.

This work presents the evolution from fundamental single wire sawing experiments using structured wire for the first time to the introduction of this wire in multi-crystalline silicon wafer mass production. It is shown that via single wire experiments 100% higher throughput and more than 10% less specific energy consumption were foreseen for the replacement of straight with structured wire in mass production of multi-crystalline silicon wafers. The analysis of production data demonstrates that these predictions were even exceeded and that additionally, 45% less wire consumption and 40% less slurry consumption were achieved. This work reveals the influence on wafer metrology and gives a basic description of the dynamics in the cutting slot.