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3.1. Wafer Fabrication
Silicon is among the most common elements in the Earth crust. The main source of silicon is sand that consists of silica, SiO2. The conversion of sand into the highest purity, single-crystal silicon wafer is a three-stage process:
1. Extraction of silicon from SiO2 and then its purification.
2. Conversion of the very high purity polycrystalline Si into the ingot (rod) of single-crystal material.
3. Fabrication of wafers out of the ingot of single-crystal silicon in a series of operations involving dicing, grinding, polishing, etc.
Although starting materials are different for different semiconductors, the general sequence outlined above applies also to semiconductor other than silicon.
Suggested search words: Czochralski (CZ) crystal growth, Float Zone (FZ) crystal growth, Bridgman method, silicon ingot, wafering, chemical-mechanical polishing
References
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