how are silicon wafers made
The preparation of silicon wafers is a complex and sophisticated process chain, the core links of which can be refined and summarized as follows: Silicon source refining: First, the natural sand is used as raw material, and converted into primary silicon metal through a chemical reduction process. Subsequently, the silicon metal is further refined to high-purity polysilicon through sophisticated chemical vapor deposition or electrolytic purification technologies. Monocrystalline Silicon Cultivation: The purified polysilicon in the high temperature molten state is mainly produced by the straight drawing method CZ, which is suitable for a wide range of semiconductor needs due to its high efficiency in generating silicon rods with optimized lattices; the floating zone method FZ is used as an auxiliary technology to guide the directional crystallization of the silicon to form monocrystalline silicon rods. Precision cutting and processing of crystal rods: Slicing: Utilizing high-precision diamond wire saws or internal circular cutting equipment, single crystal silicon rods are cut into thin slices, i.e. silicon wafers. Edge chamfering: Rounding the edges of sliced wafers to reduce the risk of mechanical damage and cracks. Surface Refinement: Grinding: Initially removes traces left behind by the slicing process and enhances the flatness of the wafer surface. Etching/Chemical Polishing: Chemical methods are used to further smooth the wafer surface and reduce microscopic defects. Polishing: Advanced CMP technology is used to achieve the ultimate smoothness of the wafer surface, resulting in a mirror-like polished wafer.
how are silicon wafers made
Cleaning and Quality Inspection: The polished wafers are thoroughly cleaned to remove surface impurities, followed by stringent quality inspections to ensure that the wafer geometry, surface quality and other key indicators meet the standards.
Epitaxial layer growth: In specific applications, it may be necessary to epitaxially grow a pure single-crystal film on the surface of the polished wafer to meet the special needs of high-end electronic devices.
Sorting and Packaging: Based on the quality inspection results, wafers are accurately sorted and properly packaged in anti-static packaging materials for use in subsequent chip manufacturing processes. The entire production process is carried out in a strictly controlled dust-free environment and relies on the support of high-precision equipment and advanced technology.
With the development of industry technology, the diameter of silicon wafers has gradually expanded from 4 inches and 6 inches in the early days to the current mainstream specifications of 8 inches and 12 inches,
which is aimed at improving production efficiency and reducing costs, but at the same time, it also puts forward higher technological requirements for the control of surface flatness in the production process, the reduction of the defect rate, and the control of costs.