Abstract: A method for producing thin silicon rods includes: a) providing a rod of silicon; b) sequentially cutting with a sawing device slabs from the rod, wherein the rod is respectively rotated axially through 90° or 180° between two successive cuts so that two of four successive cuts respectively take place pairwise on radially opposite sides of the rod or wherein slab cutting takes place simultaneously together at radially opposite sides of the rod; and c) sawing the cut slabs into thin rods having a rectangular cross section. A device for producing thin rods from a silicon rod by sawing, contains a first unit with cutting tools and a cutting tool cooling liquid, a second unit having nozzles for introducing additional cooling liquid into cutting kerfs of the workpiece, and a third unit having a band saw, a wire saw or cutting tools containing one or more shafts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for comminuting and sorting polycrystalline silicon, comprising an instrument for feeding a coarse polysilicon fraction into a crushing system, the crushing system associated with a sorting system for classifying the polysilicon fraction, wherein the device is provided with a controller which allows variable adjustment of at least one crushing parameter in the crushing system and/or at least one sorting parameter in the sorting system.

Abstract: Noncontaminating and nondestructive testing of a shaped polysilicon body for a material defect is accomplished by exposing the shaped polysilicon body to ultrasound waves, and the ultrasound waves are registered by an ultrasound receiver after they have passed through the shaped polysilicon body or reflected therein, so that material defects in the polysilicon are detected.

Abstract: A mechanical crushing apparatus for comminuting a polycrystalline silicon ingot, has a base and opposed comminuting and mating chisels, the chisels having longitudinal axises oriented at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the base and parallel to the surface of the base, and being movable in such a manner that a silicon ingot to be comminuted and which rests on the surface of the base can be positioned between the chisels such that all the chisels in the region of the silicon ingot are in contact with the silicon ingot, and comminution chisels in front of and behind the silicon ingot can be moved in the direction of their longitudinal axis to within a safety distance of the respective mating chisel, and the comminution chisels act on and break up the silicon ingot by means of sudden movement(s) in the direction of their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: Noncontaminating and nondestructive testing of a shaped polysilicon body for a material defect is accomplished by exposing the shaped polysilicon body to ultrasound waves, and the ultrasound waves are registered by an ultrasound receiver after they have passed through the shaped polysilicon body or reflected therein, so that material defects in the polysilicon are detected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for comminuting and sorting polycrystalline silicon, comprising an instrument for feeding a coarse polysilicon fraction into a crushing system, the crushing system associated with a sorting system for classifying the polysilicon fraction, wherein the device is provided with a controller which allows variable adjustment of at least one crushing parameter in the crushing system and/or at least one sorting parameter in the sorting system.

Abstract: A mechanical crushing apparatus for comminuting a polycrystalline silicon ingot, comprises a base and opposed comminution and mating chisels, the comminution chisels and mating chisels having longitudinal axises oriented at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the base and parallel to the surface of the base, and being movable in such a manner that a silicon ingot to be comminuted and which rests on the surface of the base can be positioned between the chisels such that all the chisels in the region of the silicon ingot are in contact with the silicon ingot, and comminution chisels in front of and behind the silicon ingot can be moved in the direction of their longitudinal axis to within a safety distance of the respective mating chisel, and the comminution chisels act on and break up the silicon ingot by means of sudden movement(s) in the direction of their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A charging material made from semiconductor material, is used for charging or recharging a melting crucible during the Czochralski crucible-pulling process. This charging material has a polycrystalline semiconductor rod, which at one end has a groove, and a monocrystalline semiconductor rod, which at one end has a tongue, which rods are coupled by means of a tongue-and-groove connection. There is also a holding system for holding a polycrystalline silicon rod during the Czochralski crucible-pulling process or the float zone process, which has a tongue-and-groove connection between the polycrystalline semiconductor rod, which at one end has a groove, and a monocrystalline semiconductor rod, which at one end has a tongue.

Abstract: A method for conveying silicon fragments has the silicon fragments being conveyed over a conveyor surface, which is made from hyperpure silicon. There is a vibrating conveyor, and during the conveying, the sharp edges of the silicon fragments are rounded and mechanical-physical decontamination takes place. The vibrating conveyor has a conveyor surface which is made from hyperpure silicon. A second vibrating conveyor unit has a conveyor surface which is made from hyperpure silicon and has passage openings therethrough.

Abstract: A method is for processing semiconductor material, in which one or more shock waves generated using a transducer are transmitted through a liquid medium to semiconductor material in rod form. The transducer is at a distance of from 1 cm to 100 cm from the semiconductor material, and the shock waves have a pulse energy of from 1 to 20 kJ and a pulse rise time to the energy maximum of from 1 to 5 &mgr;s.

Abstract: A method of producing a polycrystalline silicon rod is by depositing silicon on a carrier rod and cutting to size a molding produced in the process. In order that the silicon rod is given a rod end which is free of cracks and flaking, the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis and cut through with a parting tool.

Abstract: A device for the optoelectronic classification of semiconductor materials, which has an identifying device 6 that forwards the morphology of the product 1 to be classified to an evaluating device 7 which evaluates the data.

Abstract: A separation device which has at least one blower device and at least one deflector device can be used to separate large fragments of semiconductor material from small fragments of semiconductor material.