We studied commercial multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers having wire sawing-related defects on their surfaces. SiC and Si3N4 inclusions were identified in these defected areas, and they were highly localized. SiC inclusions were present in the form of clusters embedded in mc-Si wafer. These inclusions introduced a stress concentration into mc-Si wafer. The wire sawing-related defects on the wafer surfaces are arrays of sawing ridges. SiC inclusions were the main cause for these sawing ridges, while the effect Of Si3N4 was not notable. A model was proposed to explain the formation of the sawing ridges on the surfaces of mc-Si wafers. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.