IP Library Granted Patent US 8,399,341
Granted Patent B2
US 8,399,341 · App. 13/387,125 · Granted Mar 19, 2013

Method for heat treating a silicon wafer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,399,341
App. No.
13/387,125
Granted
Mar 19, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention is to provide a method for heat treating a silicon wafer reducing grown-in defects while suppressing generation of slip during RTP and improving surface roughness of the wafer. The method performing a first heat treatment while introducing a rare gas, the first heat treatment comprising the steps of rapidly heating the wafer to T 1 of 1300° C. or higher and the melting point of silicon or lower, keeping the wafer at T 1 , rapidly cooling the wafer to T 2 of 400-800° C. and keeping the wafer at T 2 ; and performing a second heat treatment while introducing an oxygen gas in an amount of 20-100 vol. %, the second heat treatment comprising the steps of keeping the wafer at T 2 , rapidly heating the wafer from T 2 to T 3 of 1250° C. or higher and the melting point of silicon or lower, keeping the wafer at T 3 and rapidly cooling the wafer.

Claims (20)

1. A method for heat treating a silicon wafer comprising the steps of:

producing a silicon single crystal ingot grown by Czochralski process;

slicing the silicon single crystal ingot into plural silicon wafers;

performing a first heat treatment process on the silicon wafer while introducing a first gas including a rare gas, the first heat treatment comprising:

rapidly heating the silicon wafer to a first temperature range of 1300° C. or higher and the melting point of silicon or lower at a first heating rate;

keeping the silicon wafer at the first temperature;

rapidly cooling the silicon wafer to a second temperature range of 400° C. or higher and 800° C. or lower at a first cooling rate; and

keeping the silicon wafer at the second temperature; and

performing a second heat treatment process on the silicon wafer while stopping introducing the first gas and instead, introducing a second gas including an oxygen gas in an amount of 20 vol. % or more and 100 vol. % or less; the second heat treatment comprising:

further keeping the silicon wafer at the second temperature;

rapidly heating the silicon wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature range of 1250° C. or higher and the melting point of silicon or lower at a second heating rate;

keeping the silicon wafer at the third temperature; and

rapidly cooling the silicon wafer from the third temperature at a second cooling rate.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is range of 1300° C. or higher and 1380° C. or lower and the third temperature is range of 1250° C. or higher and 1380° C. or lower.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first cooling rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second heating rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second heating rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first cooling rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second heating rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second heating rate is 20° C./sec or more and 150° C./sec or less.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 13, 2013
From: COVALENT SILICON CORPORATION
To: GLOBALWAFERS JAPAN CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029991/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2013
From: COVALENT MATERIALS CORPORATION
To: COVALENT SILICON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029962/0497 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2012
From: SENDA, TAKESHI; ISOGAI, HIROMICHI; TOYODA, EIJI; MURAYAMA, KUMIKO; ARAKI, KOJI; AOKI, TATSUHIKO; SUDO, HARUO; IZUNOME, KOJI; MAEDA, SUSUMU; KASHIMA, KAZUHIKO
To: COVALENT MATERIALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027994/0679 →