A method for marking a wafer that is cut from a boule. A surface of the boule is marked with an encoded marking that extends completely along a distance of the boule that is used for cutting wafers. The encoded marking is disposed substantially parallel to a length axis of the boule. The wafer is cut from the boule from within the distance, such that the encoded marking along the surface of the boule is disposed at a peripheral edge of the wafer. The encoded marking contains information in regard to the wafer.

A method and system for manufacturing a silicon wafer is disclosed. The ingot's crystallographic orientation is identified. Then ingot indicia is marked onto the ingot. The ingot indicia includes the manufacturer's data as well as the ingot's specific information. The indicia also identifies the crystallographic orientation of the ingot. A plurality of wafers are sliced from the ingot with a portion of the ingot indicia on each of the wafers. Wafer indicia is then marked onto a peripheral edge of the wafer. The wafer indicia includes a mark to identify the crystallographic orientation of the wafer as well as specific information about the ingot and the wafer. The wafer indicia may include dopant levels as well as resistivity and conductivity levels of the wafer.

An apparatus for cutting a substantially cylindrical work piece in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the work piece includes a wire having a plurality of cutting elements affixed thereto and a wire drive mechanism for driving the wire across and through the work piece. The wire drive mechanism includes a capstan to move the wire orthogonally across a longitudinal axis of the work piece, a rotational drive to oscillate the wire around the longitudinal axis and an advancing drive to advance the wire perpendicularly through the longitudinal axis of the work piece. In a particular embodiment disclosed herein, the apparatus comprises imparts a substantially rocking motion to the wire drive mechanism about the longitudinal axis of the work piece and the cutting elements of the wire are impregnated diamonds.

A wire saw and wafer stabilizing system are provided for holding wafer sections invariantly against vibration and unwanted movement during the sawing process. A stabilizing means is applied to the ends of partially defined wafer sections at an early stage when the wafer sections are partially cut through a silicon ingot or block of silicon material. The stabilizing means serves to stabilize the wafer sections immovably against vibration, oscillation, or unwanted contact during the subsequent sawing process. The stabilizing system also accelerates handling of the wafers after slicing is completed, facilitates the cleaning process, and allows for more rapid or automated placement of the wafers in cassettes. Wafers produced by the stabilizing system are characterized by a minimized total thickness variation, substantially uniform planarity, and substantially without bow or warp.

Slurry useful for wire-saw slicing has viscosity adjusted to 400-700 mPa.multidot.second at a shear speed of 2/second and of 50-300 mPa.multidot.second at a shear speed of 380/second. The viscosity of slurry is measured using a cone and plate type viscometer which can measure viscosity at different shear speeds. Since the slurry sufficiently flows into inner parts of grooves formed in an ingot and consumed for wire-saw slicing due to the viscosity controlled in response to the shear speed, the ingot can be efficiently sliced to wafers or discs.