Patents by Inventor Juergen Schwandner

Juergen Schwandner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8376810
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processed on both sides simultaneously, the wafer lying in freely movable fashion in a cutout in one of a plurality of carriers that rotate by means of a rolling apparatus, and one thereby being moved on a cycloidal trajectory, the semiconductor wafer being processed in material-removing fashion between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, wherein each working disk comprises a working layer comprising abrasive material, and wherein an alkaline medium comprising no abrasive material is supplied during the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Patent number: 8376811
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are double sided polished by a method of polishing a frontside of the wafer in a first step with a polishing pad with fixed abrasive and simultaneously polishing a backside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing no abrasive, but during which an abrasive polishing agent is introduced between the polishing pad and the backside of the wafer, inverting the wafer, and then in a second step polishing the backside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing fixed abrasive and simultaneously polishing the frontside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing no fixed abrasive, a polishing agent containing abrasive being introduced between the polishing pad and the frontside of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Patent number: 8343873
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer includes a number of steps in order including a bilateral material-removing process followed by rounding off an edge of the wafer and grinding front and back sides of the wafer by holding one side and grinding the other. The front and back arc then polished with a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and subsequently treated with an etching medium to carry out a material removal of no more than 1 ?m on each side. The front side is then polished using a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and the back side is simultaneously polished using a polishing cloth free of abrasives while a polish with abrasives is provided. The edge is then polished followed by polishing the back with a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and simultaneously polishing the front with a cloth free of abrasives while a polish including abrasives is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Patent number: 8338302
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafer provided with a strain-relaxed layer of Si1-xGex, are polished in a first step of mechanical machining of the Si1-xGex layer of the semiconductor wafer in a polishing machine using a polishing pad containing fixedly bonded abrasive materials having a particle size of 0.55 ?m or less, and also a second step of a chemomechanical machining of the previously mechanically machined Si1-xGex layer of the semiconductor wafer using a polishing pad and with supply of a polishing agent slurry containing abrasive materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Roland Koppert
  • Publication number: 20120149198
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer includes a number of steps in order including a bilateral material-removing process followed by rounding off an edge of the wafer and grinding front and back sides of the wafer by holding one side and grinding the other. The front and back are then polished with a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and subsequently treated with an etching medium to carry out a material removal of no more than 1?m on each side. The front side is then polished using a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and the back side is simultaneously polished using a polishing cloth free of abrasives while a polish with abrasives is provided. The edge is then polished followed by polishing the back with a polishing cloth including bound abrasives and simultaneously polishing the front with a cloth free of abrasives while a polish including abrasives is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Publication number: 20110244760
    Abstract: A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer includes applying a polishing pad to the semiconductor wafer so as to subject the semiconductor wafer to a polishing process and supplying an aqueous polishing agent solution between the polishing pad and the semiconductor wafer. The polishing pad includes fixedly bonded abrasives of SiO2 with an average grain size in a range of 0.1 to 1.0 ?m. The aqueous polishing agent solution comprising an alkaline component, being free of solid materials and having a variable pH value in a range of 11 to 13.5. The aqueous polishing agent solution is maintained at a pH value of less than 13 during the polishing process and the pH value of the aqueous polishing agent solution is increased to a range of 13 to 13.5 so as to end the polishing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Roland Koppert
  • Publication number: 20110244762
    Abstract: A method for double-side polishing of a semiconductor wafer includes situating the semiconductor wafer in a cutout of a carrier that is disposed in a working gap between an upper polishing plate covered by a first polishing pad and a lower polishing plate covered by a second polishing pad. The first and second polishing pads each include tiled square segments that are formed by an arrangement of channels on the pads, where the square segments of the first pad are larger than the segments of the second pad. The square segments of the polishing pads include abrasives. During polishing, the carrier is guided such that a portion of the wafer temporarily projects laterally outside of the working gap. A polishing agent with a pH that is variable is supplied during polishing at a pH in a range of 11 to 12.5 during a first step and at a pH of at least 13 during a second step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Thomas Buschhardt, Roland Koppert
  • Publication number: 20110223841
    Abstract: A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer includes polishing a surface of the semiconductor wafer using a polishing pad while supplying a polishing agent slurry containing abrasives during a first step. The polishing pad is free of abrasives and includes a first surface that contacts the semiconductor wafer, the first surface having a surface structure including elevations. Supply of polishing agent slurry is subsequently ended and, in a second step, the surface of the semiconductor wafer is polished using the polishing pad while supplying a polishing agent solution having a pH value of at least 12 that is free of solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Michael Kerstan
  • Publication number: 20110183582
    Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of steps carried out in the following order. Simultaneous double-side material-removal processing is carried out on a semiconductor wafer sliced from a single crystal by processing the semiconductor wafer between two rotating ring-shaped working disks. Each working disk includes first abrasives having an average grain size in a range of 5.0 to 20.0 ?m. Both sides of the semiconductor wafer are treated with an alkaline medium. Grinding of the front and rear sides of the semiconductor wafer is carried out. For the grinding of each side a first side is held using a wafer holder and the other side is processed using a grinding tool. The grinding tool includes second abrasives having an average grain size that is smaller than the average grain size of the first abrasives and having an average grain size being in a range of 1.0 to 10.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Michael Kerstan
  • Publication number: 20110133314
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer includes pulling a single crystal of semiconductor material, slicing a semiconductor wafer from the single crystal and polishing the semiconductor wafer with the polishing pad and polishing agent. The polishing agent is free of solid materials having abrasive action and the polishing pad contains fixedly bonded solid materials with abrasive action. During polishing the polishing agent is supplied in a gap between the semiconductor wafer and polishing pad. The polishing agent has a pH value in a range of 9.5 to 12.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Walter Haeckl, Juergen Schwandner, Noemi Banos
  • Publication number: 20110111677
    Abstract: A method for polishing a semiconductor wafer having a first side and a second side, the method includes polishing the first side using a Fixed Abrasive Polishing (FAP) with a polishing pad including fixedly bonded abrasives having an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 ?m; applying a cement layer with a thickness of at most 3 ?m to the polished first side; fixing the polished and cemented first side on a carrier plate of a polishing machine; and polishing the second side using a single-side chemical mechanical polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen SCHWANDNER
  • Publication number: 20110097975
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer sliced from a single crystal includes rounding an edge using a grinding disk containing abrasives with an average grain size of 20.0-60.0 ?m. A first simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed wherein the semiconductor wafers are processed between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 5.0-20.0 ?m, wherein the semiconductor wafer is placed in a cutout in one of a plurality of carriers rotatable by a rolling apparatus such that the semiconductor wafer lies in a freely movable manner in the carrier and the wafer is movable on a cycloidal trajectory. A second simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed including processing the semiconductor wafers between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 0.5-15.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen SCHWANDNER, Thomas BUSCHHARDT, Diego FEIJOO, Michael KERSTAN, Georg PIETSCH, Guenter SCHWAB
  • Publication number: 20110097974
    Abstract: A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer using a holding system including a lined cutout the size of the semiconductor wafer that is fixed to a carrier. The method includes holding the semiconductor wafer in the cutout through adhesion of a first side of the semiconductor wafer to a bearing surface in the cutout and polishing a second side of the held semiconductor wafer using a polishing pad that is fixed on a polishing plate while introducing a polishing agent between the second side of the semiconductor wafer and the polishing pad, the polishing pad including fixedly bonded abrasive materials. The carrier is guided during polishing such that a portion of the second side of the semiconductor wafer temporarily projects beyond a lateral edge of a surface of the polishing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Juergen SCHWANDNER, Thomas BUSCHHARDT, Roland KOPPERT
  • Publication number: 20110081836
    Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor wafer includes bringing at least one grinding tool in contact with the semiconductor wafer; removing material from the semiconductor wafer using the grinding tool; disposing a liquid medium having a viscosity of at least 3×10?3 N/m2·s and at most 100×10?3 N/m2·s between the at least one grinding tool and the semiconductor wafer; and separating the at least one grinding tool and the semiconductor wafer so as to end the processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen SCHWANDNER
  • Publication number: 20110081840
    Abstract: A method for polishing a plurality of semiconductor wafers includes providing a polishing pad containing an abrasive substance bonded in the polishing pad; providing an alkaline polishing agent at a volumetric flowrate greater than or equal to 5 liters/min.; polishing the plurality of semiconductor wafers using the polishing pad; and circulating the polishing agent in a polishing agent circuit during the polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen SCHWANDNER
  • Publication number: 20100330885
    Abstract: A method for polishing the edge of a semiconductor wafer comprises (a) providing a semiconductor wafer which has been polished on its side surfaces and which has a rounded edge; (b) polishing the edge of the wafer by fixing the semiconductor wafer on a centrally rotating chuck, delivering the wafer to a centrally rotating polishing drum, which is inclined with respect to the chuck and to which a polishing pad containing fixedly bonded abrasives is applied, and pressing semiconductor wafer and polishing drum onto one another while a polishing agent solution containing no solids is continuously supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Publication number: 20100330883
    Abstract: The edge region of one side of a semiconductor wafer is polished by pressing the wafer by means of a rotatable polishing head against a polishing pad lying on a rotating polishing plate, and containing fixed abrasive. The polishing head is provided with a resilient membrane radially subdivided into a plurality of chambers by gas or liquid cushions, the polishing pressure independently selectable for each chamber. The wafer is held in position during polishing by a retainer ring pressed against the polishing pad with an application pressure, a polishing agent is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad, and the polishing pressure exerted on the wafer in a chamber lying in the edge region of the wafer of the polishing head, and the application pressure of the retainer ring, are selected so that material is essentially removed only at the edge of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Publication number: 20100327414
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are produced by a process of: a) providing a semiconductor wafer by cutting a silicon ingot into wafers; b) rounding the edge of the wafer, so that the wafer comprises plane surfaces on the frontside and backside and rounded oblique surfaces in the edge region; c) polishing the frontside and backside of the wafer, the frontside being polished by chemical-mechanical polishing using a polishing pad which is free of abrasive fixed in the polishing pad; backside polishing being carried out in three steps, using a polishing pad containing fixed abrasive which is pressed onto the backside of the wafer, a polishing agent free of solids introduced between the polishing pad and the backside of the wafer in the first step, a polishing agent containing abrasive being introduced in the second and third steps, a polishing pressure of 8-15 psi in the first and second steps being reduced to 0.5-5 psi in the third step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner
  • Publication number: 20100330882
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is polished, wherein in a first step, the rear side of the wafer is polished by a polishing pad comprising fixedly bonded abrasives having a grain size of 0.1-1.0 ?m, while supplying a polishing agent free of solid materials having a pH of at least 11.8, and, in a second step, the front side of the semiconductor wafer is polished, wherein a polishing agent having a pH of less than 11.8 is supplied. A polishing pad for use in apparatuses for polishing semiconductor wafers, has a layer containing abrasives, a layer composed of a stiff plastic and also a compliant, non-woven layer, wherein the layers are bonded to one another by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Juergen Schwandner, Roland Koppert
  • Publication number: 20100330881
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are double sided polished by a method of polishing a frontside of the wafer in a first step with a polishing pad with fixed abrasive and simultaneously polishing a backside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing no abrasive, but during which an abrasive polishing agent is introduced between the polishing pad and the backside of the wafer, inverting the wafer, and then in a second step polishing the backside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing fixed abrasive and simultaneously polishing the frontside of the wafer with a polishing pad containing no fixed abrasive, a polishing agent containing abrasive being introduced between the polishing pad and the frontside of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Juergen Schwandner