MULTI-WIRE ELECTRON DISCHARGE MACHINE

• US 20100187203A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Rakwal, Dinesh R., Bamberg, Eberhard
• Application Number:
  US12/524,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/69.120
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 1/028 for multiple gap machining
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 9/00 Machining specially adapted for treating particular metal objects or for obtaining special effects or results on metal objects heat treatment by cathodic discharge C21D1/38

Abstract

A multi-wire electron discharge machine includes a first wire electrode for creating an electrical discharge between the first electrode wire and a semiconductor ingot, a second wire electrode for creating an electrical discharge between the second electrode wire and the semiconductor ingot, and a wire guide for maintaining the first wire electrode in a spaced apart and generally parallel orientation with respect to the second wire electrode across a semiconductor ingot slicing area.

Claims

1. A multi-wire electron discharge machine comprising:

a first wire electrode for creating an electrical discharge between the first electrode wire and a semiconductor ingot;

a second wire electrode for creating an electrical discharge between the second electrode wire and the semiconductor ingot; and

a wire guide for maintaining the first wire electrode in a spaced apart and generally parallel orientation with respect to the second wire electrode across a semiconductor ingot slicing area.

2. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 1, wherein the wire guide comprises first and second insulated wire tubes operable to guide the first and second wire electrodes across the semiconductor ingot slicing area.

3. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 2, wherein the first and second insulated wire tubes comprise glass tubes.

4. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 2, further comprising a conical wire entry for guiding first and second wire electrodes from first and second wire supply spools to first and second insulated wire tubes, respectively.

5. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second insulated wire tubes includes an axial slot operable to receive the associated one of the first and second wire electrodes.

6. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 2, further comprising first and second wire guides operable to guide the first and second wire electrodes across the semiconductor ingot slicing area.

7. The multi-wire electron discharge machine of claim 1, further comprising a wire puller for pulling the first and second wire electrodes across the semiconductor ingot slicing area.

8. A multi-wire electron discharge machine comprising:

means for creating an electrical discharge between the first electrode wire and a semiconductor ingot;

means for creating an electrical discharge between the second electrode wire and the semiconductor ingot; and

means for maintaining the first wire electrode in a spaced apart and generally parallel orientation with respect to the second wire electrode across a semiconductor ingot slicing area.

9. A multi-wire electron discharge machine comprising:

a plurality of wire electrodes; and

a wire guide for maintaining each of the plurality of wire electrodes in a spaced apart and generally parallel orientation with respect to an adjacent one of the plurality of wire electrodes across a semiconductor ingot slicing area.