Abstract: A localized heating apparatus and method for breaking an adhesive joint between a mounting block of a semiconductor material slicing apparatus and a semiconductor material ingot, provide a more localized, and therefore faster, heating and cooling of the mounting block which reduces the time required for the semiconductor material slicing process.

Abstract: An improved means and method for polishing or lapping thin wafers, especially semiconductor wafers, in a lapping plate is obtained by providing additional slurry holes in the lapping plate between the wafer receiving holes. In a first embodiment useful with wafers having a small initial taper, the additional slurry holes are radially oriented and have a length about equal to the wafer diameter so that, as the lapping plate rotates in the lap machine, the lapping slurry feeds through the holes to providing slurry uniformly to the underside of the wafers being lapped. In a second embodiment useful for wafers with a large initial taper, slurry holes of varying width and/or length are used to vary the amount of slurry reaching different parts of the wafers so that a predetermined variation in lapping occurs across the wafer to correct the taper. Yield is thereby improved.

Abstract: A mounting beam is described having a V-shaped surface capable of having various sizes of semiconductor crystals mounted thereon. This mounting beam is comprised of either: a graphite material mixed with aluminum oxide or silicon carbide; or a graphite body having dressing sticks disposed therein. During the slicing process, when a slicing blade cuts through the crystal into the mounting beam, the blade will be dressed by the sticks or the mounting beam itself.