Abstract: The invention relates to a reproducible standard for calibrating and checking the bright-field channel of a surface inspection device used for examining the flat surface of a sample and to a method for producing said standard whereby a microstructure is produced on a surface of a substrate provided as a standard, characterized in that the microstructure is smoothed out.

Abstract: A process for the double-side polishing of semiconductor wafers between two polishing plates which rotate in opposite directions and are covered with polishing cloth, so that at least 2 &mgr;m of semiconductor material is removed. The semiconductor wafers lay in plastic-lined cutouts in a set of a plurality of planar carriers which are made from steel and the mean thickness of which is 2 to 20 &mgr;m smaller than the mean thickness of the fully polished semiconductor wafers. The set comprises only those carriers whose difference in thickness is at most 5 &mgr;m, and each carrier belonging to the set has at least one unambiguous identification feature which assigns it to the set. An item of information contained in the identification feature is used in order for the plastic linings to be exchanged at fixed intervals and to ensure that the semiconductor wafers remain in the same order after the polishing as before the polishing. There is also a carrier which is suitable for carrying out the process.

Abstract: A standard for calibrating and checking a nanotopography unit, includes a substrate and at least one structure which is deposited on the substrate. It has a lateral extent of 0.5 to 20 mm and a vertical extent of 5 to 500 nm and is bounded by edges which have a gradient of at most 1*10−3. There is also a method for producing the standard, with material being deposited on the substrate at an inhomogeneous deposition rate.

Abstract: A CVD reactor has an upper reactor chamber (2), a lower reactor chamber (3) and a dividing wall (4) that has a circular hole (5) in which a holding ring (6) for a wafer (7) is positioned. A process for producing an epitaxially coated semiconductor wafer includes the following: a) placing a semiconductor wafer in a CVD reactor having an upper reactor chamber (2), a lower reactor chamber (3) and a dividing wall (4) that has a circular hole (5) in which a holding ring (6) for a wafer is positioned, b) heating the semiconductor wafer using heat sources, c) depositing a protective layer on the back of the semiconductor wafer, d) depositing an epitaxial layer on the front of the semiconductor wafer, and e) removing the epitaxially coated semiconductor wafer from the CVD reactor.

Abstract: A method to convert a reclaim wafer into a semiconductor wafer, suitable as starting material for semiconductor fabrication, with a front surface, a back surface and an edge. At least one of the two surfaces bearing foreign material which originates from at least one process for the fabrication of semiconductor components.

Abstract: A process is for producing a semiconductor wafer with a front surface and a back surface, in which the semiconductor wafer is subjected to two-sided polishing. The process includes the following: (a) producing a hydrophobic surface on the semiconductor wafer by treating the semiconductor wafer with an aqueous HF solution; (b) simultaneous polishing of the front surface and the back surface of the semiconductor wafer with a surface which has been rendered hydrophobic, with an alkaline polishing abrasive being continuously supplied between two rotating upper and lower polishing plates, which are both covered with a polishing cloth, the pH of the polishing abrasive being from pH 8.5 to pH 12.5; (c) after an intended polishing abrasion has been reached, supplying a stopping agent to the semiconductor wafer; and (d) removing the semiconductor wafer from the polishing plates.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer includes the deposition of an epitaxial layer onto a substrate wafer in a deposition reactor. The semiconductor wafer, following the deposition of the epitaxial layer, undergoes treatment in an ozone-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: A method is for simultaneously cutting off a multiplicity of wafers from a hard, brittle workpiece which has a longitudinal axis and a peripheral surface. The workpiece is guided, by means of a translational relative movement, directed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between the workpiece and a wire web of a wire saw with the aid of a feed device, through the wire web which is formed by a sawing wire. The workpiece is rotated about the longitudinal axis while the wafers are being cut off. There is also a wire saw which is suitable for carrying out the method and has a device for holding and for rotating the workpiece about the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer made from silicon which is doped with hydrogen. The hydrogen concentration is less than 5*1016 atcm−3 and greater than 1*1012 atcm−3. A method for producing a semiconductor wafer from silicon includes separating the semiconductor wafer from a silicon single crystal, with the single silicon crystal being pulled from a melt, in the presence of hydrogen, using the Czochralski method. The hydrogen partial pressure during the pulling of the single silicon crystal is less than 3 mbar.

Abstract: A method for removing combustible, metallurgical dust out of the exhaust gas from installations for drawing single silicon crystals is provided. The dust contaminated exhaust gas and a reactive gas, such as air, oxygen or ozone, are fed into a reactor operated at a temperature of 50 to 500° C. where the reactive gas combusts the dust to form solid products. The reactor may be equipped with a catalyst, such as nickel, palladium or platinum, to promote the reaction. The solid products-containing exhaust gas is passed through a filter. By combusting the dust in the reactor, spontaneous explosions can be minimized.

Abstract: A grinding machine has a swivel head (1) with at least one plunge-grinding wheel (2), a cup wheel (3) and a measuring gauge (7) for measuring the diameter and the length of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method for doping a melt with a dopant has the melt being provided in a crucible. The dopant is introduced into a vessel and the vessel is immersed in the melt, the dopant being transferred into the melt through an opening which forms in the vessel. There is also an apparatus which comprises a vessel containing the dopant and a device which is connected to the vessel, for lowering the vessel into a melt and for lifting the vessel out of the melt, the vessel being provided with an opening which is blocked by a closure piece which is of the same type of material as the melt and melts when it is brought into contact with the melt.

Abstract: A method for pulling a single crystal has a monocrystalline seed crystal being brought into contact with molten material and an interface being formed between solid and molten material, and molten material being caused to solidify with the formation of a thin-necked crystal and a cylindrical single crystal. The method is one wherein, during the pulling of the thin-necked crystal, it is ensured that the ratio V/G(r) is above a constant Ccrit having the value 1.3*10−3 cm2/Kmin, with V being the pulling rate, with G(r) being the axial temperature gradient at the interface and r being the radial distance from the center of the thin-necked crystal.

Abstract: A process and device for the production of a single crystal of semiconductor material is by pulling the single crystal from a melt, which is contained in a crucible and is heated by a side heater surrounding the crucible. The melt is additionally heated, in an annular region around the single crystal, by an annular heating device which surrounds the single crystal and is positioned above the melt.

Abstract: A wire saw for cutting shaped articles from a workpiece, having at least two wire webs made from sawing wire, which are used for cutting off the shaped articles and which lie one above the other at a distance h and are tensioned between wire-guide rollers. The wire webs are formed by one or more adjacent and parallel wire segments. In this wire saw, no wire segment covers any other wire segment congruently when the wire webs are viewed from above. The invention also relates to a process for cutting a workpiece with the wire saw.

Abstract: A process for producing a silicon single crystal has the crystal being pulled using the Czochralski method while being doped with oxygen and nitrogen. The single crystal is doped with oxygen at a concentration of less than 6.5*1017 atoms cm−3 and with nitrogen at a concentration of more than 5*1013 atoms cm−3 while the single crystal is being pulled. Another process is for producing a single crystal from a silicon melt, in which the single crystal is doped with nitrogen and the single crystal is pulled at a rate V, an axial temperature gradient G(r) being set up at the interface of the single crystal and the melt, in which the ratio V/G(r) in the radial direction is at least partially less than 1.3*10−3cm2min−1 K−1.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting an incorrect position of a semiconductor wafer during a high-temperature treatment of the semiconductor water in a quartz chamber which is heated by IR radiators, has the semiconductor wafer lying on a rotating support and being held at a specific temperature with the aid of a control system. Thermal radiation which is emitted by the semiconductor wafer and the IR radiators is recorded using a pyrometer. The radiation temperature of the recorded thermal radiation is determined. The semiconductor wafer is assumed to be in an incorrect position if the temperature of the recorded thermal radiation fluctuates to such an extent over the course of time that the fluctuation width lies outside a fluctuation range &Dgr;T which is regarded as permissible.

Abstract: A process and a device will produce a cylindrical single crystal of semicuctor material with the smallest possible alignment error of the crystal lattice. A process for cutting semiconductor wafers from two or more such single crystals is by means of wire sawing. The process for producing the single crystal is as follows: (a) a single crystal with an alignment error of the crystal lattice equal to at most 1.5.degree.

Abstract: Device for pulling a silicon single crystal 1 includes an element 5 which annularly surrounds the single crystal growing at a crystallization boundary; and the element has a face 6 directed at the single crystal. The element surrounds the single crystal substantially level with the crystallization boundary 2 and has the property of reflecting heat radiation radiated by the single crystal and the similar melt or of generating and radiating heat radiation back to the lower part of the crystal close to the crystallization boundary. There is also a method for pulling a silicon single crystal, in which the single crystal is thermally affected using the element surrounding it.

Abstract: A process and device for the production of a single crystal of semiconductor material is by pulling the single crystal from a melt, which is contained in a crucible and is heated by a side heater surrounding the crucible. The melt is additionally heated, in an annular region around the single crystal, by an annular heating device which surrounds the single crystal and is positioned above the melt.