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RESPONSE SURFACE ANALYSIS OF SLICING OF SILICON INGOTS WITH FOCUS ON PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATION

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Title RESPONSE SURFACE ANALYSIS OF SLICING OF SILICON INGOTS WITH FOCUS ON PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATION
 
Creator DONGRE, G
SINGH, R
JOSHI, SS
 
Subject kerf loss
RSM
silicon ingot
slicing speed
surface quality
wire-EDM
SINGLE-CRYSTAL SILICON
HIGH-EFFICIENCY
WIRE
EDM
TECHNOLOGY
VIBRATION
 
Description Polycrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in Photovoltaic (PV) industry as a base material for the solar cells. The existing silicon ingot slicing methods typically provide minimum wafer thickness of 300350 mu m and a surface finish of 35 mu m Ra while incurring considerable kerf loss of 3540%. Consequently, efficient dicing methods need to be developed, and in the quest for developing new processes for silicon ingot slicing, the wire-EDM (electric discharge machining) is emerging as a potential process. Slicing of a 3'' square silicon ingot into wafers of 500 mu m in thickness has been performed to study the process capability. This article analyzes the effect of processing parameters on the cutting process. The objective of the experimental study is improvement in slicing speed, minimization of kerf loss and surface roughness. A central composite design-based response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to study the slicing of polycrystalline silicon ingot via wire-EDM. A zinc-coated brass wire, 100 mu m in diameter, has been used as an electrode in the slicing experiments. It has been observed that the optimal selection of the process parameters results in an increase of 4050% in the slicing rate along with a 20% reduction in the kerf loss as compared to the conventional methods. The machined surfaces on the sliced wafer were free of micro-cracks and wire material contamination, thereby making it useful for electronic applications.
 
Publisher TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
 
Date 2014-10-16T14:19:30Z
2014-10-16T14:19:30Z
2012
 
Type Article
 
Identifier MACHINING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 16(4)624-652
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10910344.2012.731952
http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/jspui/handle/100/15767
 
Language en