Sillicon Wafers

[scorcher]

Can someone please tell me the reasoning behind producing cpu's on round wafers ? Why not use square wafers, you'll definately get a better yield per wafer. What is the technical reasoning behind it ?

 

[reever2]

Maybe because it take a hell of a long time calibrating the machines to cut the round wafer into all of the seperate dies? If it were square they would have to use either larger or smaller wafers to get the optimal amount of chips out of different sized processor cores, or maybe thats just how they come...

 

[sonoran]

Silicon wafers come from ingots of silicon that are literally grown from a seed chip. And when you saw a log-shaped ingot into slices, you get round wafers. There's a small picture of an ingot here: <A HREF="http://www.intel.com/education/makingchips/preparation.htm" target="_new">http://www.intel.com/education/makingchips/preparation.htm</A>

And here you can find more than you probably ever wanted to know about growing your own <g> silicon: <A HREF="http://www.wafernet.com/PresWK/h-ptl-as3_wsc_siltronic_com_pages_training_pages_Silicon_Intro-1.htm" target="_new">http://www.wafernet.com/PresWK/h-ptl-as3_wsc_siltronic_com_pages_training_pages_Silicon_Intro-1.htm</A>

 

[RCPilot]

I didn't know that & wondered it myself.

If it ain't broke, take it apart & see why not!

 

[scorcher]

Thanks for the info .... I've always wondered why.

 

[Schmide]

Spreading thin layers of composites on wafers is best done by spinning. It doesn't hurt when washing them either. Round things spin well square things not so good.

Dichromatic for your viewing plesure...

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Round things spin well square things not so good.

Damn. I guess I'll have to scrap my project for putting square tires on my car. 😉

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