Application Analysis in the Semiconductor Industry

1. Wafer Cutting and Processing Applications

In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, diamond wire multi-wire saws are primarily used for precision cutting and processing of wafers. These saws are applicable to a wide range of semiconductor wafers, including silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), and indium phosphide (InP), and are particularly suitable for precision dicing of large-size (12-inch) wafers.

In the field of monocrystalline silicon wafer processing, diamond wire cutting technology has become the mainstream process for 8-inch and 12-inch wafer production. Specialized equipment introduced by manufacturers such as Dalian Liancheng CNC can process silicon rods with diameters compatible with 8-inch and 12-inch wafers, achieving a maximum processing length of 450mm and maintaining a crystal orientation deviation controlled within ≤1°. This high-precision orientation control is crucial for ensuring the electrical performance consistency of wafers.

The advantages of diamond wire cutting in semiconductor wafer manufacturing primarily include high cutting precision, excellent surface quality, and high processing efficiency. The cutting precision can reach ±0.01mm, with a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.03mm, meeting the stringent dimensional accuracy requirements of semiconductor devices. The surface roughness can be controlled within the range of Ra<0.3μm, significantly reducing subsequent grinding and polishing processes.

In the field of advanced packaging, diamond wire cutting technology also plays a significant role. With the development of advanced packaging techniques such as Chiplet and TSV (Through Silicon Via), higher requirements have been imposed on the precision and quality of wafer dicing. Diamond wire cutting can avoid the thermal damage associated with traditional blade cutting, making it particularly suitable for these temperature-sensitive advanced packaging processes.

2. Processing of third-generation semiconductor materials

Third generation semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), etc. have high hardness, high melting point, high thermal conductivity and other characteristics, and have broad application prospects in new energy vehicles, 5G communication, aerospace and other fields. However, the high hardness of these materials (SiC Mohs hardness 9.2, GaN Mohs hardness 8.5) poses significant challenges to processing, and traditional cutting methods are difficult to meet the requirements.

Diamond wire cutting technology has become the preferred solution for processing third-generation semiconductor materials. In SiC wafer cutting, using electroplated diamond wires with particle sizes of 5-20μm, combined with constant tension control and high-precision guide wheel system, can achieve efficient cutting. Special cooling systems and cutting fluids are required during the cutting process, usually oil-based or highly volatile fluids, to enhance cooling and chip removal capabilities.

However, the high hardness of SiC materials also poses a severe challenge to diamond wires. During the cutting process, the high hardness of SiC leads to severe tool wear. Traditional diamond wire cutting requires a wire diameter of less than 60μm to reduce losses, but a wire diameter that is too small is prone to breakage. Experiments conducted by DISCO Corporation in Japan have shown that when cutting SiC wafers, the lifespan of diamond wires is only one-third of that of silicon materials.

To overcome these challenges, the industry is developing a new type of diamond wire specifically designed for SiC cutting, using special diamond particles and bonding processes to improve wear resistance and service life. Meanwhile, by optimizing cutting parameters such as reducing cutting speed and increasing line tension, cutting efficiency and quality can be improved.

Diamond wire cutting also performs well in GaN wafer cutting. GaN material has high fracture toughness and is prone to microcracks. Traditional cutting methods can easily cause material edge breakage. Diamond wire cutting can effectively reduce edge defects and improve crystal yield by precisely controlling cutting parameters.

3. Analysis of the advantages of precision machining

The diamond wire multi wire cutting machine exhibits multiple unique advantages in semiconductor precision machining. Firstly, it has extremely high processing accuracy, with a cutting accuracy of ±0.01mm and a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.03mm, which can meet the strict requirements of semiconductor devices for dimensional accuracy. This high precision is not only reflected in linear cutting, but also performs well in curved and irregular cutting. The equipment supports dynamic angle adjustment of ±10° and can achieve processing of complex geometric shapes.

Next is excellent surface quality. The surface roughness of the wafer after diamond wire cutting can be controlled within the range of Ra<0.3μm, which is much lower than traditional cutting methods. More importantly, the surface damage layer generated during the cutting process is extremely thin, usually less than 5μm, which is crucial for the performance of semiconductor devices. Because the surface damage layer can affect the electrical performance of the device, especially in power devices, an excessively thick damage layer can lead to a decrease in the breakdown voltage of the device, affecting reliability.

The third is strong material adaptability. Diamond wire cutting technology can process various semiconductor materials, including silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, etc. For some special semiconductor materials, such as neodymium magnets, ferrite magnets and other magnetic materials, diamond wire cutting is also the preferred solution. This wide material adaptability enables a device to meet the processing needs of multiple materials, improving the utilization rate of the equipment.

The fourth is high processing flexibility. Modern diamond wire multi wire cutting machines adopt multi axis linkage control, supporting irregular cutting, such as processing complex shapes such as arcs and beveled edges. This is of great significance for the manufacturing of some special structured semiconductor devices, such as optical waveguides, micro mechanical structures, etc. At the same time, the device also supports flexible production of small batches and multiple varieties, which can quickly respond to changes in market demand.

The fifth is environmental friendliness. Diamond wire cutting uses water-based cutting fluid, does not use harmful chemicals, and the production process is clean and environmentally friendly. The waste generated during the cutting process is mainly a small amount of metal shavings and abrasives, which are easy to handle and recycle. This is an important advantage for the increasingly strict environmental requirements.

In practical application cases, diamond wire cutting technology has been successfully applied in multiple key fields. Diamond wire cutting is used for wafer cutting of IGBT, MOSFET and other devices in power device manufacturing, which can significantly improve the yield and performance of the devices. In the manufacturing of RF devices, diamond wire cutting is used for the processing of GaN HEMTs and other devices, effectively solving the problem of easy generation of microcracks in GaN materials. In MEMS device manufacturing, diamond wire cutting is used for processing various microstructures, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc. Its high precision and low damage characteristics ensure the performance of the device.