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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8165706 | Methods for generating representations of flatness defects on wafers Methods are disclosed for generating a representation of flatness defects on a wafer. Data is received describing the thickness of the wafer at a plurality of points on a wafer divided into a plurality of sites. A reference plane is defined for each of the plurality... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8153538 | Process for annealing semiconductor wafers with flat dopant depth profiles A process is disclosed for annealing a single crystal silicon wafer having a front surface and a back surface, and an oxide layer disposed on the front surface of the wafer extending over substantially all of the radial width. The process includes annealing the wafe... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8147613 | Crystal puller and method for growing a monocrystalline ingot A crystal puller for growing monocrystalline ingots includes a side heater adjacent a crucible for heating the crucible and a melt heat exchanger sized and shaped for surrounding the ingot and disposed adjacent a surface of the melt. The heat exchanger includes a he... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8145342 | Methods and systems for adjusting operation of a wafer grinder using feedback from warp data Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is pre... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8143078 | Methods for monitoring the amount of contamination imparted into semiconductor wafers during wafer processing Methods are disclosed for monitoring the amount of metal contamination imparted during wafer processing operations such as polishing and cleaning. The methods include subjecting a silicon-on-insulator structure to the semiconductor process, precipitating metal conta... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8080482 | Methods for preparing a semiconductor structure for use in backside illumination applications This invention generally relates to an epitaxial silicon semiconductor wafer with increased thermal conductivity to transfer heat away from a device layer, while also having resistance to common failure mechanisms, such as latch-up failures and radiation event failu... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8066553 | Wafer clamping device for a double side grinder A hydrostatic pad for use in holding a semiconductor wafer during grinding of the wafer by grinding wheels. The pad includes hydrostatic pockets formed in a face of the body directly opposed to the wafer. The pockets are adapted for receiving fluid through the body ... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8058173 | Methods for producing smooth wafers Methods for reducing the surface roughness of semiconductor wafers through a combination of rough polishing and thermally annealing the wafer. ... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8042697 | Low thermal mass semiconductor wafer support A support for a semiconductor wafer includes a plate having a support surface for supporting the wafer and a recessed surface spaced from the support surface and spaced from the wafer. A plurality of holes extends from the recessed surface, and the support surface i... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8026145 | Arsenic and phosphorus doped silicon wafer substrates having intrinsic gettering A process for the preparation of low resistivity arsenic or phosphorous doped (N+/N++) silicon wafers which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, reliably form oxygen precipitates. ... | 09/27/2011 |
| 7943108 | Processes for purification of silicon tetrafluoride Processes for purifying silicon tetrafluoride source gas by subjecting the source gas to one or more purification processes including: contacting the silicon tetrafluoride source gas with an ion exchange resin to remove acidic contaminants, contacting the silicon te... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7938982 | Silicon wafer etching compositions A process for etching silicon wafers using a caustic etchant in the form of an aqueous solution comprising water, a hydroxide ion source, and a chelating agent. The process produces silicon wafers substantially free from diffused metal ions. ... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7930058 | Nanotopography control and optimization using feedback from warp data Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is pre... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7927185 | Method for assessing workpiece nanotopology using a double side wafer grinder A method of processing a semiconductor wafer using a double side grinder of the type that holds the wafer in a plane with a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads. The method includes measuring a distance between the wafer and at least one sensor and... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7922817 | Method and device for feeding arsenic dopant into a silicon crystal growing apparatus A feed assembly and method of use thereof of the present invention is used for the addition of a high pressure dopant such as arsenic into a silicon melt for CZ growth of semiconductor silicon crystals. The feed assembly includes a vessel-and-valve assembly for hold... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7888685 | High purity silicon carbide structures Processes for the purification of silicon carbide structures, including silicon carbide coated silicon carbide structures, are disclosed. The processes described can reduce the amount of iron contamination in a silicon carbide structure by 100 to 1000 times. After p... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7846007 | System and method for dressing a wafer polishing pad A system for polishing a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a polishing apparatus having a rotatable polishing pad for polishing the wafer. A dressing apparatus is mounted adjacent the polishing pad for dressing the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus includ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7846006 | Dressing a wafer polishing pad A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing pad includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus is adapted to change the amount of force exerted by the dressing member on the polishing pad as the dressing member moves radially ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7879198 | Processes for the purification of trichlorosilane and silicon tetrachloride The present disclosure relates to processes and systems for purifying technical grade trichlorosilane and/or technical grade silicon tetrachloride into electronic grade trichlorosilane and/or electronic grade silicon tetrachloride. ... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7878562 | Semiconductor wafer carrier blade A carrier blade for transferring a semiconductor wafers into and out of a deposition chamber may include transition surfaces sloping downward from ledge surfaces. The transition surfaces slope from the corresponding ledges at angles that are greater than about 90 de... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7696103 | Method for purifying silicon carbide coated structures Processes for the purification of silicon carbide structures, including silicon carbide coated silicon carbide structures, are disclosed. The processes described can reduce the amount of iron contamination in a silicon carbide structure by 100 to 1000 times. After p... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7691351 | Method for treatment of a gas stream containing silicon tetrafluoride and hydrogen chloride The present invention is directed to a method for treatment of a gas stream comprising silicon tetrafluoride and hydrogen chloride. For example, the present invention is directed to a method for treatment of such a gas stream that involves contacting the gas stream ... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7691199 | Melter assembly and method for charging a crystal forming apparatus with molten source material A melter assembly supplies a charge of molten source material to a crystal forming apparatus for use in forming crystalline bodies. The melter assembly comprises a housing and a crucible located in the housing. A heater is disposed relative to the crucible for melti... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7662023 | Double side wafer grinder and methods for assessing workpiece nanotopology A double side grinder comprises a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads operable to hold a flat workpiece (e.g., semiconductor wafer) so that part of the workpiece is positioned between the grinding wheels and part of the workpiece is positioned bet... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7611580 | Controlling melt-solid interface shape of a growing silicon crystal using a variable magnetic field System for controlling crystal growth in a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. A magnetic field is applied within the crystal growing apparatus and varied to control a shape of the melt-solid interface where the ingot is being pulled from the melt. The shape of t... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7601049 | Double side wafer grinder and methods for assessing workpiece nanotopology A double side grinder comprises a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads operable to hold a flat workpiece (e.g., semiconductor wafer) so that part of the workpiece is positioned between the grinding wheels and part of the workpiece is positioned bet... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7573587 | Method and device for continuously measuring silicon island elevation A method of continuously measuring an elevation and shape of an unmelted polycrystalline silicon island during a silicon meltdown process. The method comprises projecting a focused bright light on the silicon island to produce a bright dot on the silicon island. The... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7566951 | Silicon structures with improved resistance to radiation events A silicon structure with improved protection against failures induced by excess radiation-induced charge carrier migration from the bulk region into the near-surface region. The structure comprises bulk and near-surface regions that are doped with a dopant, wherein ... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7559825 | Method of polishing a semiconductor wafer Semiconductor wafers have a front surface, a back surface, a notch, and an edge. A method of polishing a wafer includes polishing at least one of the surfaces and the notch of the wafer using a polishing pad and slurry. At least one surface of the wafer is cleaned o... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7521382 | High resistivity silicon structure and a process for the preparation thereof The present invention generally relates to a high resistivity CZ silicon wafer, or a high resistivity silicon structure derived therefrom, and a process for the preparation thereof. In particular, the high resistivity silicon structure comprises a large diameter CZ ... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7497907 | Partially devitrified crucible A vitreous crucible for holding semiconductor material during a moncrystalline ingot growing process has a sidewall. Part of the sidewall is coated with a devitrification promoter and part of the sidewall is substantially free from devitrification promoter coating. ... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7485928 | Arsenic and phosphorus doped silicon wafer substrates having intrinsic gettering A process for the preparation of low resistivity arsensic or phosphorous doped (N+/N++) silicon wafers which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, reliably form oxygen precipitates. ... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7465351 | Melter assembly and method for charging a crystal forming apparatus with molten source material A method of servicing multiple crystal forming apparatus with a single melter assembly is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning the melter assembly relative to a first crystal forming apparatus for delivering molten silicon to a crucible of the firs... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7462246 | Modified susceptor for barrel reactor A susceptor for supporting wafers during an chemical vapor deposition process. The susceptor has recesses and orifices disposed in the recesses extending to a central passage of the susceptor. The susceptor has exhaust openings disposed in the top of the susceptor t... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7442253 | Process for forming low defect density, ideal oxygen precipitating silicon The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and ma... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7431765 | Process for preparing single crystal silicon having improved gate oxide integrity A process for producing a single crystal silicon wafer comprising a front surface, a back surface, a lateral surface joining the front and back surfaces, a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, and a segment which is axially symmetric about the ... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7404856 | Nitrogen-doped silicon substantially free of oxidation induced stacking faults The present invention relates to a process for forming single crystal silicon ingots or wafers that contain an axially symmetric region in which vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, that are substantially free of oxidation induced stacking faults, a... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7344594 | Melter assembly and method for charging a crystal forming apparatus with molten source material A method of charging a crystal forming apparatus with molten source material is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning a melter assembly relative to the crystal forming apparatus for delivering molten silicon to a crucible of the apparatus. An upper ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7323421 | Silicon wafer etching process and composition A process for etching silicon wafers using a caustic etchant in the form of an aqueous solution comprising water, a hydroxide ion source, and a chelating agent. The process produces silicon wafers substantially free from diffused metal ions. ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7291222 | Systems and methods for measuring and reducing dust in granular material The invention is directed to apparatus and methods for measuring and for reducing dust in granular polysilicon. In one aspect, a system includes a process vessel having a vacuum port for pulling dust from the polysilicon. Another system of the invention includes a b... | 11/06/2007 |
