10746 results about "Wafering" patented technology

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer has a housing defining a process chamber, a workpiece support configured to support a workpiece within the chamber during processing and comprising a plasma bias power electrode. The reactor further includes plural gas sources containing different gas species, plural process gas inlets and an array of valves capable of coupling any of said plural gas sources to any of said plural process gas inlets. The reactor also includes a controller governing said array of valves and is programmed to change the flow rates of gases through said inlets over time. A ceiling plasma source power electrode of the reactor has plural gas injection zones coupled to the respective process gas inlets. In a preferred embodiment, the plural gas sources comprise supplies containing, respectively, fluorocarbon or fluorohydrocarbon species with respectively different ratios of carbon and fluorine chemistries. They further include an oxygen or nitrogen supply and a diluent gas supply. The controller is programmed to produce flow of different process gas species or mixtures thereof through different ones of said plural gas injection zones. The controller is further programmed to change over time the species content of the gases flowing through different ones of said plural gas injection zones.

A semiconductor manufacturing system and wafer holder for a semiconductor manufacturing system which prevents a semiconductor wafer from being exposed to a process reaction and which includes a reaction tube for providing a sealed process space and a dual boat and which prevents the backside deposition by the wafer holder. The wafer holder includes a holder body to hide the backside of the semiconductor wafer during a process in the reaction tube and a wafer lifter having a portion that can be disengaged from and coupled to the holder body so that a lower portion of the semiconductor wafer is supported by the dual boat and so that the semiconductor wafer can be lifted up from the wafer body when the semiconductor wafer is loaded and unloaded. A separation boundary between the holder body and the wafer lifter includes a gas inflow interception surface to hinder reaction gas from flowing through the separation boundary.

A method for positioning wafers in dual wafer transport, includes: simultaneously moving first and second wafers placed on first and second end-effectors to positions over lift pins protruding from first and second susceptors, respectively; and correcting the positions of the first and second wafers without moving any of the lift pins relative to the respective susceptors or without moving the lift pins relative to each other, wherein when the first and second wafers are moved to the respective positions, the distance between the first wafer and tips of the lift pins of the first susceptor is substantially smaller than the distance between the second wafer and tips of the lift pins of the second susceptor.

A photovoltaic cell comprising a wafer comprising a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, the wafer comprising a first light receiving surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a first passivation layer positioned over the first surface of the wafer; a first electrical contact positioned over the second surface of the wafer; a second electrical contact positioned over the second surface of the wafer and separated electrically from the first electrical contact; a second passivation layer positioned over the second surface of the wafer in the region on the wafer that is at least between the first electrical contact and the second surface of the wafer; and a layer comprising a semiconductor material of a conductivity opposite the conductivity of the wafer and positioned in the region between the second passivation layer and the first contact.

Methods for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers having superior specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR). The resulting SiC wafer has a mirror-like surface that is fit for epitaxial deposition of SiC. The specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR) of the wafer are preserved following the addition of the epitaxy layer.

A method for positioning wafers in dual wafer transport, includes: simultaneously moving first and second wafers placed on first and second end-effectors to positions over lift pins protruding from first and second susceptors, respectively; and correcting the positions of the first and second wafers without moving any of the lift pins relative to the respective susceptors or without moving the lift pins relative to each other, wherein when the first and second wafers are moved to the respective positions, the distance between the first wafer and tips of the lift pins of the first susceptor is substantially smaller than the distance between the second wafer and tips of the lift pins of the second susceptor.

A Si-free C-containing film having filling capability is deposited by forming a viscous polymer in a gas phase by striking an Ar, He, or N2 plasma in a chamber filled with a volatile hydrocarbon precursor that can be polymerized within certain parameter ranges which define mainly partial pressure of precursor during a plasma strike, and wafer temperature.

This invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting gas within a plasma reactor and tailoring the distribution of an active species generated by the remote plasma source over the substrate or wafer. The distribution may be made more or less uniform, wafer-edge concentrated, or wafer-center concentrated. A contoured plate or profiler is provided for modifying the distribution. The profiler is an axially symmetric plate, having a narrow top end and a wider bottom end, shaped to redistribute the gas flow incident upon it. The profiler is situated below an input port within the plasma reactor chamber and above the wafer. The method for tailoring the distribution of the active species over the substrate includes predetermining the profiler diameter and adjusting the profiler height over the substrate. A coaxial injector tube, for the concurrent injection of activated and non-activated gas species, allows gases (or gas mixtures) to be delivered in an axially symmetric manner whereby one gas can be excited in a high density RF plasma, while the other gas can be prevented from excitation and / or dissociation caused by exposure to the plasma or heated surfaces in the source apparatus. The gas admixture that is not to be excited or dissociated prior to contact with the wafer surface is shielded from direct exposure to the RF field surrounding the plasma confinement tube. The tube walls are also shielded from the infrared energy emitted from the plasma. The profiler is used in conjunction with the coaxial injector tube for redistributing the excited gases emerging from the injector tube, while allowing the non-excited gases to pass through its center.

A method of forming a stack of thin wafers provides a wafer level stack to greatly reduce process time compared to a method where individually separated chips are stacked after a wafer is sawed. A rigid planar wafer support member stabilizes and planarizes each wafer while it is thin or its thickness is reduced and during subsequent wafer processing. Thinned wafers are stacked and the external support members are removed by applying heat or ultraviolet (UV) light to an expandable adhesive layer between the support members and the thin wafers. The stacked wafers then can be further processed and packaged without thin-wafer warping, cracking or breaking. A wafer level package made in accordance with the invented method also is disclosed.

Apparatuses and methods for cooling and transferring wafers from low pressure environment to high pressure environment are provided. An apparatus may include a cooling pedestal and a set of supports for holding the wafer above the cooling pedestal. The average gap between the wafer and the cooling pedestal may be no greater than about 0.010 inches. Venting gases may be used to increase the pressure inside the apparatus during the transfer. In certain embodiment, venting gases comprise nitrogen.

A film having filling capability is deposited by forming a viscous polymer in a gas phase by striking an Ar, He, or N2 plasma in a chamber filled with a volatile hydrocarbon precursor that can be polymerized within certain parameter ranges which define mainly partial pressure of precursor during a plasma strike, and wafer temperature.

A reaction system is disclosed that may be used to prevent formation of contaminants. The reaction system includes a showerhead that may be configured with a gated nanochannel grid to prevent particular gaseous precursors from passing through depending on whether a voltage is applied. The gated nanochannel grid may allow for both polar and non-polar molecules to pass, or may be configured to allow just non-polar or just polar molecules to pass.

A process for making a photovoltaic cell using a semiconductor wafer doped with a first dopant, the wafer comprising a front surface and a back surface, the process comprising the steps of forming a first layer on the front surface of the wafer, the first layer comprising a second dopant of a conductivity type opposite the first dopant; depositing a surface coating on the front surface over the first layer; forming grooves in the front surface after depositing the surface coating thereon; adding a second dopant to the grooves; depositing a doping material on the back surface; treating the wafer having the doping material deposited thereon to form a back surface field, masking at least a portion of the back surface of the wafer after the treating; and adding a conductive material to the grooves to form an electrical contact.