Method for cutting a single crystal ingot

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby it is possible to cut a single crystal ingot comparatively accurately while allowing resulting slices to have a flat surface, and to lengthen the life of the blade more than would be possible with conventional methods. A single crystal ingotis arranged below a straightly running portionof the blade which is made to run endlessly along a circuit such that the longitudinal axis of ingotcrosses at right angles with the straightly running portionof the blade, thereby enabling the straightly running portionof the blade to cut the ingotperpendicularly. If the blade is inclined to one side, the cutting machine detects a shift A between the uppermost end of cut surfaceand its lowermost end projected to the longitudinal axis of ingot, and corrects the inclination of the blade by tilting the imaginary cut surfaceincluding the straightly running portion of the blade in the opposite direction by an angle with respect to a line vertical to the longitudinal axis of ingotsuch that shift B is equal to shift A. Subsequent to correction, cutting is further continued with the straightly running portionof the blade whose inclination has been just corrected.