IP Library Granted Patent US 11,906,569
Granted Patent B2
US 11,906,569 · App. 17/519,679 · Granted Feb 20, 2024

Semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus and semiconductor wafer manufacturing method

Inventors: Koichi Murata (Yokosuka, JP); Isaho Kamata (Yokosuka, JP); Hidekazu Tsuchida (Yokosuka, JP); Akira Miyasaka (Chickibu, JP)
Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
G01R31/2601C23C16/325C23C16/52C30B25/16C30B29/36G01R1/06783G01R31/2648G01R31/2656H01L22/20C30B35/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,906,569
App. No.
17/519,679
Granted
Feb 20, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus brings a contact maker (mercury liquefied at room temperature), as a Schottky electrode, into contact with a semiconductor wafer, intermittently applies a voltage from a pulse power supply, and evaluates the state (kinds, density) of point defects by an evaluation means based on the status of the electrostatic capacity of the semiconductor wafer. In this manner, the state (kinds, density) of the point defects in the plane of a large-diameter semiconductor wafer is directly evaluated using a large table.

Claims (39)

1. A semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus, comprising:

a contact maker where a metal (Schottky electrode) liquefied at room temperature makes contact with a semiconductor wafer as an object to be evaluated;

power supply means for applying a voltage to the contact maker via means for compensating for parasitic inductance and parasitic capacity;

application control means for intermittently establishing an applied state of the voltage from the power supply means; and

evaluation means for evaluating a state of point defects of the semiconductor wafer based on a status of an electrostatic capacity of the semiconductor wafer during intermittent application of the voltage by the application control means,

wherein

the application control means has a function of varying the applied voltage, and

the evaluation means evaluates the state of the point defects at a location deep in a depth direction when the applied voltage is raised.

2. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the metal liquefied at room temperature is mercury.

3. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the point defects are defects whose signals peak at a temperature near room temperature,

the state of the point defects is kinds and a density of the point defects.

4. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

moving means for moving the contact maker relatively in a range of a diameter of 150 mm or more with respect to a planar direction of the semiconductor wafer.

5. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

photoirradiation means for performing irradiation with light having energy equal to or higher than a bandgap of the semiconductor wafer, and

wherein the evaluation means evaluates the defects by minority carrier transient spectroscopy.

6. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the semiconductor wafer is a SiC single crystal.

7. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the point defects in the SiC single crystal are 2112 centers ascribed to carbon vacancies.

8. A semiconductor wafer manufacturing method, comprising:

adjusting and controlling conditions for film formation by semiconductor manufacturing means based on information on the point defects, which has been obtained using the semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , thereby manufacturing a semiconductor wafer.

9. A semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus, comprising: a contact maker where a metal (Schottky electrode) liquefied at room temperature makes contact with a semiconductor wafer as an object to be evaluated; power supply means for applying a voltage to the contact maker via means for compensating for parasitic inductance and parasitic capacity; application control means for intermittently establishing an applied state of the voltage from the power supply means; evaluation means for evaluating a state of point defects of the semiconductor wafer based on a status of an electrostatic capacity of the semiconductor wafer during intermittent application of the voltage by the application control means; and photoirradiation means for performing irradiation with light having energy equal to or higher than a bandgap of the semiconductor wafer, and wherein the evaluation means evaluates the defects by minority carrier transient spectroscopy.

10. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the metal liquefied at room temperature is mercury.

11. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the point defects are defects whose signals peak at a temperature near room temperature, and

the state of the point defects is kinds and a density of the point defects.

12. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

moving means for moving the contact maker relatively in a range of a diameter of 150 mm or more with respect to a planar direction of the semiconductor wafer.

13. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the application control means has a function of varying the applied voltage, and

the evaluation means evaluates the state of the point defects at a location deep in a depth direction when the applied voltage is raised.

14. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the semiconductor wafer is a SiC single crystal.

15. The semiconductor wafer evaluation apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

the point defects in the SiC single crystal are 2112 centers ascribed to carbon vacancies.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 9, 2024
From: RESONAC CORPORATION
To: RESONAC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066547/0677 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
To: RESONAC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064082/0513 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2021
From: MURATA, KOICHI; KAMATA, ISAHO; TSUCHIDA, HIDEKAZU; MIYASAKA, AKIRA
To: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
Reel/Frame 058029/0037 →