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Pattern Saw Marks on Diamond Wire Cut Wafers – from Wafer to Module

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2015-01-01
Journal31st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
AuthorsG. Wahli, B. Strahm, P. Papet, J. Meixenberger, B. Legradic
Citations2

wafer surface aspect named pattern saw marks (PSM) is elucidated. PSM occur on solar silicon wafers cut by the diamond wire (DW) wafer slicing process, due to the back-and-forth mode (also called pilgrim mode) of cutting. The wavelength of these PSM is equal to the feed per cycle of the cutting process. The PSM show a profilometric amplitude that can be controlled by the cutting process parameters. We fabricated wafers with different PSM dimensions by wafer slicing, and we investigated the effect of the PSM on the cell and module fabrication process steps, and on the solar cell and module performance.