Experimental Study on the Influence of Wire-Saw Wear on Cutting Force and Silicon Wafer Surface

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2023-05-09
Journal	Materials
Authors	Lie Liang, Shujuan Li, Kehao Lan, Ruijiang Yu, Jiabin Wang
Institutions	Xi’an University of Technology
Citations	14
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: Diamond Wire Saw Wear

Executive Summary

This study investigates the critical relationship between fixed-diamond abrasive wire-saw wear and the resulting cutting force and silicon wafer surface quality. The findings underscore the necessity of highly uniform, wear-resistant diamond materials for precision slicing of hard and brittle semiconductors.

Core Challenge: Abrasive wear (flattening and shedding) is the primary variable affecting cutting force stability and wafer surface quality during monocrystalline silicon slicing.
Key Observation (Wear): Abrasive wear progresses from edge rounding (initial stage) to particle flattening (stable stage), leading to a reduction in the amplitude of the wafer surface profile.
Cutting Force Dynamics: Cutting force decreases steadily during the stable wear stage due to reduced wire bow angle, but fluctuates significantly during the initial (running-in) and later (particle shedding/fatigue) stages.
Surface Quality Impact: Wafer surface roughness (Ra) is highest during the initial and final wear stages. The reduction in large damage pits (brittle removal) as abrasives flatten suggests a shift toward more ductile material removal.
Failure Mode: The macro failure of the wire saw was determined to be fatigue fracture of the matrix, indicating that the quality and resilience of the bonding material limit the full lifespan and cutting potential of the diamond abrasives.
6CCVD Value Proposition: This research highlights the demand for ultra-high-quality, uniform diamond materials and robust matrix systems. 6CCVD provides the foundational MPCVD diamond (SCD/PCD) necessary for manufacturing next-generation, high-performance fixed-abrasive tools and achieving superior surface finishes (Ra < 1nm) far exceeding the results reported here (Ra ~0.6 µm).

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Part Material	Monocrystalline Silicon (Si)	N/A	Hard/brittle semiconductor
Part Dimensions (Ingot)	36 x 23 x 200	mm	Rectangular ingot used to stabilize contact length
Cutting Surface Dimensions	36 x 23	mm	Wire-part contact area
Wire Saw Velocity (V_s)	1	m/s	Standard operating parameter
Part Feed Rate (V_x)	0.75	mm/min	Standard operating parameter
Abrasive Type	Fixed-diamond abrasive (JR2-type)	N/A	Nickel-plated matrix
Abrasive Grain Size (Average)	50-60	µm	Used in the wire saw
Normal Cutting Force (Stable)	1.7 to 2.0	N	Average force measured during stable wear stage
Wafer Surface Roughness (Ra) Range	0.55 to 0.65	µm	Measured using Leica DCM3D
Dynamometer Resolution (X/Y/Z)	1/160, 1/160, 1/80	N	ATI FT19500 sensor precision
Wafer Count (Total)	15	Wafers	Cut until wire saw fatigue fracture

Key Methodologies

The experiment utilized a small-sized cutting machine to repeatedly slice a square monocrystalline silicon ingot until the fixed-diamond abrasive wire saw broke, ensuring abrasive wear was the primary variable.

Material and Setup: A rectangular monocrystalline silicon ingot (36 mm x 23 mm x 200 mm) was used to maintain a constant contact length between the part and the wire saw, minimizing geometric variables.
Tooling: A consolidated diamond abrasive wire saw (50-60 µm JR2-type diamond in a nickel matrix) was used.
Process Parameters: Wire saw velocity was fixed at 1 m/s, and the part feed rate was fixed at 0.75 mm/min. These parameters remained constant throughout the cutting of all 15 wafers.
Force Measurement: Normal cutting force (F_n) was collected in real-time using an ATI FT19500 dynamometer consolidated with the part.
Surface Analysis (Wafer): Wafer surface roughness (Ra) and surface profile were measured using a Leica DCM3D white light confocal interference microscope.
Wear Analysis (Abrasive): Wire saw wear was tracked by photographing six equidistant points on the wire after each cut (Anyty 3R-MSUSB601) and observing the broken wire saw via SEM (Merlin Compact).

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

The research demonstrates that the performance and lifespan of fixed-abrasive tools are fundamentally limited by the quality, uniformity, and wear resistance of the diamond particles and the matrix integrity. 6CCVD provides the highest quality MPCVD diamond materials essential for advancing hard/brittle material processing beyond the limitations observed in this study.

Applicable Materials

To replicate or extend this research—especially for slicing harder materials like SiC, GaN, or even bulk diamond—superior diamond material is required for the abrasive tool manufacturing.

Research Requirement	6CCVD Material Solution	Technical Advantage
High Wear Resistance	Optical Grade SCD (Single Crystal Diamond)	SCD offers the highest purity and structural integrity, minimizing internal defects that lead to premature fracture and shedding (the failure modes observed in the paper). Ideal for ultra-precision tools.
Uniformity & Consistency	Premium PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond)	Available in custom grain sizes and thicknesses (0.1 µm to 500 µm). Ensures highly uniform abrasive distribution and consistent wear behavior, stabilizing the cutting force and surface quality over longer runs.
Advanced Applications	BDD (Boron-Doped Diamond)	For applications requiring simultaneous cutting and electrochemical processing, BDD offers superior conductivity and hardness, enabling novel wire saw designs or specialized metrology tools.

Customization Potential

The study highlights that the wire saw matrix fatigue limits the tool life, even when the abrasives retain cutting ability. 6CCVD supports the development of next-generation tools by providing customized diamond components and advanced integration services:

Custom Dimensions: 6CCVD can supply PCD plates/wafers up to 125 mm and SCD up to 500 µm thick, allowing tool manufacturers to test novel abrasive geometries and bonding techniques far beyond standard wire saw limitations.
Precision Polishing: The paper reported Ra values between 0.55 µm and 0.65 µm. For advanced semiconductor and optical applications, 6CCVD guarantees Ra < 1 nm (SCD) and Ra < 5 nm (Inch-size PCD). We provide the necessary material quality for achieving superior surface finishes in post-slicing processes.
Custom Metalization: The wire saw used a nickel matrix. 6CCVD offers in-house metalization services (Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, Cu) for diamond substrates, crucial for optimizing bonding strength and thermal management in fixed-abrasive tool matrices, directly addressing the fatigue fracture issue observed.

Engineering Support

The observed phenomena—the shift from brittle to ductile removal, the impact of abrasive flattening, and the matrix fatigue failure—are complex material science challenges. 6CCVD’s in-house PhD team specializes in diamond material optimization for extreme environments.

Consultation Focus: We offer expert consultation on material selection and integration for similar Hard/Brittle Material Slicing projects (e.g., SiC, GaN, Sapphire).
Wear Modeling: Our team can assist researchers and engineers in selecting the optimal diamond grade (SCD vs. PCD) and grain size to maximize the stable wear stage and minimize surface damage, supporting the numerical modeling efforts suggested in the paper’s conclusions.
Global Supply Chain: We ensure reliable, global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) of high-purity diamond materials, supporting international research and manufacturing timelines.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

Hard and brittle materials such as monocrystalline silicon still occupy an important position in the semiconductor industry, but hard and brittle materials are difficult to process because of their physical properties. Fixed-diamond abrasive wire-saw cutting is the most widely used method for slicing hard and brittle materials. The diamond abrasive particles on the wire saw wear to a certain extent, which affects the cutting force and wafer surface quality in the cutting process. In this experiment, keeping all the given parameters unchanged, a square silicon ingot is cut repeatedly with a consolidated diamond abrasive wire saw until the wire saw breaks. The experimental results show that the cutting force decreases with the increase in cutting times in the stable grinding stage. The wear of abrasive particles starts at the edges and corners, and the macro failure mode of the wire saw is fatigue fracture. The fluctuation of the wafer surface profile gradually decreases. The surface roughness of wafer is steady during the wear steady stage, and the large damage pits on the wafer surface are reduced in the whole process of cutting.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103619

References

2017 - Analytical Force Modeling of Fixed Abrasive Diamond Wire Saw Machining with Application to SiC Monocrystal Wafer Processing [Crossref]
2023 - Study on nanometer cutting mechanism of single crystal silicon at different temperatures [Crossref]
2020 - Experiment and theoretical prediction for surface roughness of PV polycrystalline silicon wafer in electroplated diamond wire sawing [Crossref]
2023 - Molecular dynamics simulation on crystal defects of single-crystal silicon during elliptical vibration cutting [Crossref]
2022 - Theoretical study on sawing force of ultrasonic vibration assisted diamond wire sawing (UAWS) based on abrasives wear [Crossref]
2020 - Characterization of electroplated diamond wires and the resulting workpiece quality in silicon sawing [Crossref]
2018 - Experimental investigation of tool wear in electroplated diamond wire sawing of silicon [Crossref]
2023 - Modeling and experimental investigation of monocrystalline silicon wafer cut by diamond wire saw [Crossref]
2022 - Experiment and theoretical prediction for subsurface microcracks and damage depth of multi-crystalline silicon wafer in diamond wire sawing [Crossref]