<s>
A	O
boule	B-Algorithm
is	O
a	O
single-crystal	O
ingot	O
produced	O
by	O
synthetic	O
means	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
boule	B-Algorithm
of	O
silicon	O
is	O
the	O
starting	O
material	O
for	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
integrated	O
circuits	O
used	O
today	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
semiconductor	O
industry	O
synthetic	O
boules	B-Algorithm
can	O
be	O
made	O
by	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
methods	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Bridgman	O
technique	O
and	O
the	O
Czochralski	O
process	O
,	O
which	O
result	O
in	O
a	O
cylindrical	O
rod	O
of	O
material	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
seed	O
is	O
extracted	O
the	O
silicon	O
solidifies	O
and	O
eventually	O
a	O
large	O
,	O
cylindrical	O
boule	B-Algorithm
is	O
produced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
semiconductor	O
crystal	O
boule	B-Algorithm
is	O
normally	O
cut	O
into	O
circular	O
wafers	B-Architecture
using	O
an	O
inside	O
hole	O
diamond	O
saw	O
or	O
diamond	O
wire	O
saw	O
,	O
and	O
each	O
wafer	B-Architecture
is	O
lapped	O
and	O
polished	O
to	O
provide	O
substrates	B-Architecture
suitable	O
for	O
the	O
fabrication	O
of	O
semiconductor	O
devices	O
on	O
its	O
surface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
process	O
is	O
also	O
used	O
to	O
create	O
sapphires	B-Application
,	O
which	O
are	O
used	O
for	O
substrates	B-Architecture
in	O
the	O
production	O
of	O
blue	O
and	O
white	O
LEDs	O
,	O
optical	O
windows	O
in	O
special	O
applications	O
and	O
as	O
the	O
protective	O
covers	O
for	O
watches	O
.	O
</s>
