CARBON NANOTUBE REINFORCED WIRESAW BEAM USED IN WIRESAW SLICING OF INGOTS INTO WAFERS
A wiresaw beam for use in an apparatus for slicing wafers from an ingot, such as semiconductor wafers from a single crystal ingot or a polycrystalline silicon ingot. The wiresaw beam may be made from a polymer composite material comprising a thermoset polymer resin and carbon nanotubes.
1 . An apparatus for slicing semiconductor wafers from a single crystal ingot or a polycrystalline ingot comprising:
a wire web for slicing the ingot into wafers; and
a frame including a head for supporting the ingot during slicing, the head comprising an ingot holder and a wiresaw beam constructed from a polymer composite material comprising a thermoset polymer resin and carbon nanotubes.
2 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thermoset polymer resin is an epoxy resin.
3 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the expoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F, a triglycidyl ether of triphenomethane, a polyglycidyl ether of novolac, a polyglycidyl ether cresol novolac, a polyglycidyl ether of napthalenic phenol, and methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl substituted versions thereof and mixtures thereof.
4 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
5 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 3% by weight.
6 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight.
7 . An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 1% to about 50% by weight.
8 . An assembly for use in an apparatus for slicing semiconductor wafers from a single crystal ingot or a polycrystalline ingot, the assembly comprising:
an ingot holder; and
a wiresaw beam constructed from a polymer composite material comprising a thermoset polymer resin and carbon nanotubes.
9 . An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the thermoset polymer resin is an epoxy resin.
10 . An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein the expoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F, a triglycidyl ether of triphenomethane, a polyglycidyl ether of novolac, a polyglycidyl ether cresol novolac, a polyglycidyl ether of napthalenic phenol, and methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl substituted versions thereof and mixtures thereof.
11 . An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
12 . An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 3% by weight.
13 . An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight.
14 . An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 1% to about 50% by weight.
15 . A wiresaw beam for use with a wiresaw for slicing semiconductor wafers from a single crystal ingot or a polycrystalline ingot, wherein the wiresaw beam is constructed from a polymer composite material comprising a thermoset polymer resin and carbon nanotubes.
16 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 15 wherein the thermoset polymer resin is an epoxy resin.
17 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 16 wherein the expoxy resin is selected from the group consisting of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F, a triglycidyl ether of triphenomethane, a polyglycidyl ether of novolac, a polyglycidyl ether cresol novolac, a polyglycidyl ether of napthalenic phenol, and methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl substituted versions thereof and mixtures thereof.
18 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 15 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
19 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 15 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.01% to about 3% by weight.
20 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 15 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight.
21 . A wiresaw beam as set forth in claim 15 wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the wiresaw beam is from about 1% to about 50% by weight.