Digital Commons Network^™

Detection Of Cracks In Single-Crystalline Silicon Wafers Using Impact Testing, Christina Hilmersson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is about detection of cracks in single-crystalline silicon wafers by using a vibration method in the form of an impact test. The goal to detect cracks from vibration measurements introduced by striking the silicon wafer with an impact hammer. Such a method would reduce costs in the production of solar cells. It is an inexpensive, relatively simple method which if commercialized could be used as an efficient in-line production quality test.

A hammer is used as the actuator and a microphone as the response sensor. A signal analyzer is used to collect the data and to compute frequency …