Silicon Ingot Casting: Heat Exchanger Method. Multi-wire Slicing: Fixed Abrasine Slicing Technique, Phase 3

Ingot casting was scaled up to 16 cm by 16 cm square cross section size and ingots weighing up to 8.1 kg were cast. The high degree of crystallinity was maintained in the large ingot. For large sizes, the nonuniformity of heat treatment causes chipping of the surface of the ingot. Progress was made in the development of a uniform graded structure in the silica crucibles. The high speed slicer blade-head weight was reduced to 37 pounds, allowing surface speeds of up to 500 feet per minute. Slicing of 10 cm diameter workpieces at these speeds increased the through-put of the machine to 0.145 mm/min.