Single-crystal – oriented-crystal – and epitaxy growth processes; – Processes of growth with a subsequent step of heat treating...
Reexamination Certificate
2005-05-24
2005-05-24
Hiteshew, Felisa (Department: 1765)
Single-crystal, oriented-crystal, and epitaxy growth processes;
Processes of growth with a subsequent step of heat treating...
C117S019000, C117S020000, C117S084000, C117S089000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06896728
ABSTRACT:
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 may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process including growing a single crystal silicon ingot from molten silicon, and as part of the growth process, controlling (i) a growth velocity, v, (ii) an average axial temperature gradient, G0, during the growth of a constant diameter portion of the crystal over a temperature range from solidification to a temperature of no less than about 1325° C., and (iii) a cooling rate of the crystal from a solidification temperature to about 1,050° C., in order to cause the formation of an axially symmetrical segment which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. A silicon wafer is then sliced from the ingot, subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies in the front surface and bulk layers of the wafer and cooled at a rate sufficient to cause a non-uniform vacancy concentration profile in the wafer such that a thermal treatment at a temperature in excess of 750° C., is capable of forming in the wafer a denuded zone in the front surface layer and oxygen clusters or precipitates in the bulk zone with the concentration of the oxygen clusters or precipitates in the bulk layer being primarily dependant upon the concentration of vacancies.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3997368 (1976-12-01), Petroff et al.
patent: 4314595 (1982-02-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 4376657 (1983-03-01), Nagasawa et al.
patent: 4437922 (1984-03-01), Bischoff et al.
patent: 4505759 (1985-03-01), O'Mara
patent: 4548654 (1985-10-01), Tobin
patent: 4851358 (1989-07-01), Huber
patent: 4868133 (1989-09-01), Huber
patent: 4981549 (1991-01-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5264189 (1993-11-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5267189 (1993-11-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5327007 (1994-07-01), Imura et al.
patent: 5401669 (1995-03-01), Falster et al.
patent: 5403406 (1995-04-01), Falster et al.
patent: 5445975 (1995-08-01), Gardner et al.
patent: 5474020 (1995-12-01), Bell et al.
patent: 5478408 (1995-12-01), Mitani et al.
patent: 5485803 (1996-01-01), Habu
patent: 5487354 (1996-01-01), von Ammon et al.
patent: 5502010 (1996-03-01), Nadahara et al.
patent: 5502331 (1996-03-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5534294 (1996-07-01), Kubota et al.
patent: 5539245 (1996-07-01), Imura et al.
patent: 5548654 (1996-08-01), Fast
patent: 5561316 (1996-10-01), Fellner
patent: 5593494 (1997-01-01), Falster
patent: 5611855 (1997-03-01), Wijaranakula
patent: 5667584 (1997-09-01), Takano et al.
patent: 5674756 (1997-10-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 5704973 (1998-01-01), Sakurada et al.
patent: 5728211 (1998-03-01), Takano et al.
patent: 5738942 (1998-04-01), Kubota et al.
patent: 5779791 (1998-07-01), Korb et al.
patent: 5788763 (1998-08-01), Hayashi et al.
patent: 5885905 (1999-03-01), Nadahara et al.
patent: 5919302 (1999-07-01), Falster et al.
patent: 5935320 (1999-08-01), Graef et al.
patent: 5939770 (1999-08-01), Kageyama
patent: 5944889 (1999-08-01), Park et al.
patent: 5954873 (1999-09-01), Hourai et al.
patent: 5968262 (1999-10-01), Saishouji et al.
patent: 5968264 (1999-10-01), Lida et al.
patent: 6045610 (2000-04-01), Park et al.
patent: 6153008 (2000-11-01), Von Ammon et al.
patent: 6287380 (2001-09-01), Falster et al.
patent: 6409827 (2002-06-01), Falster et al.
patent: 39 05 626 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 4323964 (1994-01-01), None
patent: 4414947 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 19806045 (1998-08-01), None
patent: 0503816 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 0504837 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 0536958 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 0716168 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 0799913 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 0 962 556 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 0962557 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 0 954 018 (1999-11-01), None
patent: 0 964 435 (1999-12-01), None
patent: 2 137 524 (1984-10-01), None
patent: 2182262 (1986-10-01), None
patent: 2-32535 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 1-242500 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 2-180789 (1990-07-01), None
patent: Hei 2-267195 (1990-10-01), None
patent: 3-9078 (1991-02-01), None
patent: Hei 3-93700 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 3-185831 (1991-08-01), None
patent: Hei 4-042893 (1992-02-01), None
patent: 4-108682 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 4-294540 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 5-155700 (1993-06-01), None
patent: Hei 7-041383 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 7158458 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 7-201874 (1995-08-01), None
patent: Hei 7-206591 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 7321120 (1995-12-01), None
patent: 7335657 (1995-12-01), None
patent: Hei 8-012493 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 8045944 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 8045945 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 8045947 (1996-02-01), None
patent: Hei 8-208374 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 8268794 (1996-10-01), None
patent: Hei 8-330316 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 9-199416 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 9202690 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 11-067781 (1999-03-01), None
patent: 11-150119 (1999-06-01), None
patent: 11-157995 (1999-06-01), None
patent: 11-180800 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 11-189495 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 11-199386 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 11-199387 (1999-07-01), None
patent: WO 9726393 (1997-07-01), None
patent: WO 9838675 (1998-09-01), None
patent: WO 9845507 (1998-10-01), None
patent: WO 9845508 (1998-10-01), None
patent: WO 9845509 (1998-10-01), None
patent: WO 9845510 (1998-10-01), None
European Search Report for European Patent Application No. EP 02 02 1897, dated Oct. 9, 2003, 3 pages.
Kitano, et al., “Identification of Vacancy Clusters in FZ-Si Crystals,” Phys. Stat. Sol, vol. 127(a), (1991), 341-347.
Majima, et al., “High-Sensitivity Defect Evaluation by a New Preferential Etching Technique for Highly As-Doped Si Crystals,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., vol. 36, No. 10 (1997) pp. 6195-6199.
Wijaranakula, W., “Fundamentals of Point Defect Aggregation and Dissolution Phenomena of Crystal Originated Defects in Czochralski Silicon,” Materials Science Forum, vols. 196-201 (1995) pp. 1691-1696.
“Axial Temperature Gradient of Silicon Crystals During Czochralski Growth”, Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 151, pp. 273-277, 1995.
Abe, T., “Innovated Silicon Crystal Growth and Wafering Technologies” Electrochemical Society Proceedings, vol. 97, No. 3, pp. 123-133.
Abe, T., et al., “Defect-Free Surfaces of Bulk Wafers by Combination of RTA and Crystal Growth Conditions”.
Abe, T., et al., “Swirl Defects in Float-Zoned Silicon Crystals,” Physics., vol. 116B, pp. 139-147, 1985.
Abe, T., et al., “The Characteristics of Nitrogen in Silicon Crystals,” VLSI Science and Technology/1985, (Electrochem. Soc. Pennington, 1985), Proceedings vol. 85-5, pp. 543-551, 1985.
Abe, T., et al., “Behavior of Point Defects in FZ Silicon Crystals”, Semiconductor Silicon 1990,Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Silicon Materials Science and Technology, vol. 90-7, pp. 105-116, 1990.
Abe, T., et al., “Dynamic Behavior of Intrinsic Point Defects in FZ and CZ Silicon Crystals,” Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., vol. 262, pp. 3-13, 1992.
Borionetti, G., et al., “Investigation of Low Density Defects in Czochralski Silicon Crystals: Their Detectability, Formation Kinetics and Influence on Gate Oxide Integrity,” Electrochemical Society Proceedings, vol. 96-13, pp. 160-169.
Chiou, H.D., “The Effects of Preheating of Axial Oxygen Precipitation Uniformity in Czochralski Silicon Crystals”,J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 139, No. 6, Jun., 1992.
de Kock, A.J.R., “Microdefects in Swirl-Free Silicon Crystals,” pp. 83-94 (source unknown) (date unknown).
de Kock, A.J.R.,“The Elimination of Vacancy-Cluster Formation in Dislocation -Free Silicon Crystals”, J. of the Electrochem. Soc.: Solid-State Science and Technology, vol. 118, No. 11, pp. 1851-1856, 1971.
de Kock, A.
Cornara Marco
Falster Robert J.
Gambaro Daniela
Holzer Joseph C.
Johnson Bayard K.
Hiteshew Felisa
MEMC Electronic Materials , Inc.
Senniger Powers
LandOfFree
Process for producing low defect density, ideal oxygen... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process for producing low defect density, ideal oxygen..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process for producing low defect density, ideal oxygen... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3421921