Patent · US Expired

Precision controlled precipitation of oxygen in silicon

US5593494A · kind A · utility

57Cited by
11References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1995
Grant dateJan 14, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/3225
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Process for controlling the density of oxygen precipitate nucleation centers in single crystal silicon. In the process, the single crystal silicon is annealed at a temperature of at least about 350.degree. C. to cause the formation of oxygen precipitate nucleation centers in the single crystal silicon. During the annealing step, the single crystal silicon is heated (or cooled) to achieve a first temperature, T.sub.1, which is between about 350.degree. C. and about 500.degree. C. The temperature is then increased from T.sub.1 to a second temperature, T.sub.2, which is between about 500.degree. C. and about 750.degree. C. with the average rate of temperature increase from T.sub.1 to T.sub.2 being less than about 25.degree. C. per minute. The annealing is terminated at a point in time when the oxygen precipitate nucleation centers are capable of being dissolved by heat-treating the silicon at a temperature not in excess of about 1150.degree. C.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.