The wafering process (Figure 2) starts with the growing or casting of solid ingots made of single-crystal or multi-crystalline silicon.

• Multi-crystalline silicon ingots are made by melting a load of silicon chunks within a furnace followed by a slow cool down.
  • Mono-crystalline ingots are grown by using the Czochralsky process: silicon chunks are put in a circular crucible and molten and additionally, a small crystal seed is entered into the molten pool of silicon, see Figure 3.
  • The ingots then are cut into squared blocks, either with a band saw, or with a kind of wire saw machine.

• The silicon blocks then are further sliced into thin wafers by using Multi-Wire Saw technology (MWS).
  • Here, the saw wire is pulled over the wire guide rollers in such a way that a wire web is spanned. This technology is applied in diamond wire cutting (up to ≥ 40µm) and slurry cutting likewise. The cutting fluid – the so-called slurry - is applied to the wire web while the silicon block is slowly pushed through it.
  • By using this technology, it is possible to slice one silicon block into hundreds of wafers in just one process step, see Figure 4.

• From ore to wire from one single source. Thus, maximum flexibility in all process steps.
• Products developed on a customized basis to meet the highest requirements
• Consistent and uniform tensile strengths
• Worldwide operation with the necessary logistics
• The best winding technology available, therefore high unwinding speeds
• Environmental friendly and most advanced production facilities
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• Pioneering wire solutions for the energy transition