Microstructural Characterization of Thermal Damage on Silicon Wafers Sliced Using Wire-Electrical Discharge Machining

Author(s):  
Kamlesh Joshi ◽  
Upendra Bhandarkar ◽  
Indradev Samajdar ◽  
Suhas S. Joshi

Slicing of Si wafers through abrasive processes generates various surface defects on wafers such as cracks and surface contaminations. Also, the processes cause a significant material loss during slicing and subsequent polishing. Recently, efforts are being made to slice very thin wafers, and at the same time understand the thermal and microstructural damage caused due to sparking during wire-electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM). Wire-EDM has shown potential for slicing ultra-thin Si wafers of thickness < 200 μm. This work, therefore, presents an extensive experimental work on characterization of the thermal damage due to sparking during wire-EDM on ultra-thin wafers. The experiments were performed using Response surface methodology (RSM)-based central composite design (CCD). The damage was mainly characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The average thickness of thermal damage on the wafers was observed to be ∼16 μm. The damage was highly influenced by exposure time of wafer surface with EDM plasma spark. Also, with an increase in diameter of plasma spark, the surface roughness was found to increase. TEM micrographs have confirmed the formation of amorphous Si along with a region of fine grained Si entrapped inside the amorphous matrix. However, there were no signs of other defects like microcracks, twin boundaries, or fracture on the surfaces. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed that in order to slice a wafer with minimum residual stresses and very low presence of amorphous phases, it should be sliced at the lowest value of pulse on-time and at the highest value of open voltage (OV).

Author(s):  
Kamlesh Joshi ◽  
Pradeep Padhamnath ◽  
Upendra Bhandarkar ◽  
Suhas S. Joshi

Abstract In the past, studies on wire-electrical discharge machining (EDM) of Si wafers have often focused on the effect of energy-related parameters on various wafer characteristics. However, comprehensive treatment on analyzing the effect of non-energy parameters of the Si wafer slicing process is not available thus far. This work, therefore, presents an extensive experimental work considering the parameters like wire tension (WT), wire feed rate (WF), and dielectric flushing pressure (WaP) on crucial wafer characteristics such as wafer-thickness and its uniformity, thermal damage, wire material contamination on wafer surfaces, and surface quality. A total of 72 experiments were performed at low and high servo voltage (SV) conditions. The sliced wafers were characterized by SEM, EDAX, and ICP-AES techniques. Ultrathin wafers with a uniform thickness of ∼107 µm were sliced at high SV conditions, while a lower thermal damage (∼10 µm) with low wire contamination was observed during low SV conditions. The percentage of contamination was further found to decrease with an increase in WT, WF, and WaP during low SV conditions. The wafer surface etching showed the diffusion of contaminates like Cu/Zn up to a depth of 25–30 µm. The wafer surface roughness in the middle section has always been observed to be poor due to short-circuiting and arcing within that zone.


Author(s):  
TS Senthilkumar ◽  
R Muralikannan ◽  
T Ramkumar ◽  
S Senthil Kumar

A substantially developed machining process, namely wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM), is used to machine complex shapes with high accuracy. This existent work investigates the optimization of the process parameters of wire electrical discharge machining, such as pulse on time ( Ton), peak current ( I), and gap voltage ( V), to analyze the output performance, such as kerf width and surface roughness, of AA 4032–TiC metal matrix composite using response surface methodology. The metal matrix composite was developed by handling the stir casting system. Response surface methodology is implemented through the Box–Behnken design to reduce experiments and design a mathematical model for the responses. The Box–Behnken design was conducted at a confident level of 99.5%, and a mathematical model was established for the responses, especially kerf width and surface roughness. Analysis of variance table was demarcated to check the cogency of the established model and determine the significant process. Surface roughness attains a maximum value at a high peak current value because high thermal energy was released, leading to poor surface finish. A validation test was directed between the predicted value and the actual value; however, the deviation is insignificant. Moreover, a confirmation test was handled for predicted and experimental values, and a minimal error was 2.3% and 2.12% for kerf width and surface roughness, respectively. Furthermore, the size of the crater, globules, microvoids, and microcracks were increased by amplifying the pulse on time.


2015 ◽  
Vol 760 ◽  
pp. 551-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oana Dodun ◽  
Laurenţiu Slătineanu ◽  
Margareta Coteaţă ◽  
Vasile Merticaru ◽  
Gheorghe Nagîţ

Wire electrical discharge machining is a machining method by which parts having various contours could be detached from plate workpieces. The method uses the electrical discharges developed between the workpiece and the wire tool electrode found in an axial motion, when in the work zone a dielectric fluid is recirculated. In order to highlight the influence exerted by some input process factors on the surface roughness parameter Ra in case of a workpiece made of an alloyed steel, a factorial experiment with six independent variables at two variation levels was designed and materialized. As input factors, one used the workpiece thickness, pulse on time, pulse off-time, wire axial tensile force, current intensity average amplitude defined by setting button position and travelling wire electrode speed. By mathematical processing of the experimental results, empirical models were established. Om the base of a power type empirical model, graphical representations aiming to highlight the influence of some input factors on the surface roughness parameter Ra were achieved. The power type empirical model facilitated establishing of order of factors able to exert influence on the surface roughness parameter Ra at wire electrical discharge machining.


The growing demand for the use of high strength to weight alloys in industries for manufacturing complex structures challenges the machinability of such advanced materials. In the present investigation, the machinability of SiC particle reinforced Al 2124 composite was studied on Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM). The process parameters namely pulse on-time (Ton), pulse off time (Toff), peak current (IP), and servo voltage (SV) were optimized by utilizing the central composite design layout. The output responses such as kerf and material removal rate (MRR) were studied in detail. The single and multi-objective optimization was studied for a combination effect using Derringer’s desirability approach and Genetic Algorithm (GA). The experimental and predicted values for each response were validated at the optimized condition. The experimental results were found in line with the predicted values. Multi objective optimization of kerf and MRR by GA showing better result compared to RSM.


2014 ◽  
Vol 592-594 ◽  
pp. 416-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Singaravelu D. Lenin ◽  
A. Uthirapathi ◽  
Ramana Reddy P.S. Venkata ◽  
Muthukannan Durai Selvam

The present paper describes the influence of pulse-on-time on performance features such as Metal Removal Rate (MRR), Kerf width, Surface Roughness (SR) on cutting Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) in wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) using zinc coated brass wire. The deionised water is used as dielectric fluid. The process parameters such as wire tension, wire speed, flushing pressure, discharge current, sparking voltage and pulse off time have kept constant at appropriate values throughout the experiment and the pulse on time is varied at nine different intervals. It was found that pulse-on-time is the most significant factor which greatly influences MRR, kerf width, and SR. It was also observed that taper at the end of cutting zone which is unavoidable occurrence for the machined part. This is due to the erosion of wire material. The surface roughness increases with increase in pulse on time also with higher rate of MRR.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1120-1121 ◽  
pp. 1325-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe B. Nishida ◽  
Larissa S. Marquardt ◽  
Valquíria Y.S. Borges ◽  
Paulo H.D. Santos ◽  
Thiago Antonini Alves

In this research, a heat pipe with grooves was experimentally analyzed for the application in thermal management of electronic packaging. The heat pipe was produced by a copper tube with an outer diameter of 9.45 mm, length of 205 mm, and capillary structure composed by axial grooves with average diameter of 220 μm. The grooves were manufactured using wire electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM). The working fluid used was de-ionized water. The condenser was cooled by air forced convection and the evaporator was heated using an electrical resistor. This heat pipe was tested horizontally to increasing heat loads varying from 5 to 15 W. The experimental results showed that the heat pipe worked successfully.


2015 ◽  
Vol 766-767 ◽  
pp. 902-907
Author(s):  
Bibin K. Tharian ◽  
B. Kuriachen ◽  
Josephkunju Paul ◽  
Paul V. Elson

Wire electrical discharge machining is one of the important non-traditional machining processes for machining difficult to machine materials. It involves the removal of material by the discrete electric discharges produced between the inter electrode gap of continuously moving wire electrode and the work piece. The ability to produce intricate profiles on materials irrespective of the mechanical properties made this process to be widely used in industries. The present study investigates the relationship of various process parameters in WEDM of AISI 202 stainless steel with brass electrode.The experiments were planned according to Taguchi’s L18 orthogonal array and experimental models were developed. The important process parameters identified for the present study were pulse on time, peak current, pulse off time, wire feed, wire tension, dielectric flushing pressure, servo feed and gap voltage. The surface roughness of the machined surface was measured as the process performance measure. Analysis of variance test has also been carried out to check the adequacy of the developed models and to identify the level of significance of each process parameters. In addition to the developed models, ABC optimization has been performed to identify the optimum parameter combination for minimum surface roughness and the obtained optimal process parameters are peak current 11 A, pulse on time 100 μs, pulse off time 49 μs, wire feed 4 m/min, wire tension 10 N, flushing pressure 12 kg/cm2, servo feed 2100 mm/min and set gap voltage 30 V. Finally the results were verified with the experimental results and found that they are in good agreement.


Author(s):  
Neeraj Sharma ◽  
Tilak Raj ◽  
Kamal Kumar Jangra

NiTi is a shape memory alloy, mostly employed in cardiovascular stents, orthopedic implants, orthodontic wires, micro-electromechanical systems and so on. The effective and net shape machining of NiTi is very critical for excellent response of this material in medical and other applications. The present experimental work on wire electrical discharge machining process identifies the influence of process parameters that affect the cutting rate, dimensional shift and surface roughness while machining of porous nickel–titanium (Ni40Ti60) alloy. Porous Ni40Ti60 alloy was produced in-house using powder metallurgy technique. Response surface methodology–based central composite rotatable design has been used for the planning of experiments on wire electrical discharge machining. Empirical relations have been developed between the process parameters (pulse on-time, pulse off-time, servo voltage and peak current) and response variables. Desirability approach has been used for optimizing the three response variables simultaneously. Confirmation experiments were also performed at the optimized settings and reflect a close agreement between the predicted and experimental values (percentage error varies from −6.13% to +6.85%). Using wire electrical discharge machining, NiTi alloy can be machined easily and successfully in single-cutting operation, but after the first cut in wire electrical discharge machining, a surface projection appears on work surface which is the unmachined material on work surface.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document