Abstract: A method for monitoring fabrication processes of finely structured surfaces in a semiconductor fabrication includes the steps of providing reference signatures of finely structured surfaces, measuring at least one signature of a test specimen surface, comparing the measured signature with the reference signatures, and classifying the test specimen surface by using the comparison results, wherein the measurement of the reference signatures is carried out by measuring the local distribution and/or intensity distribution of diffraction images on production prototypes having a specified quality. The classification is preferably carried out here with a neural network having a learning capability and/or a fuzzy logic. Furthermore, a device for carrying out the method is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for wafer grinding includes sensors (38) and a spectral analyzer to perform a spectral analysis of light received by the sensors (38) during grinding of a semiconductor wafer (12). Based on the spectral analysis, the grinding process is stopped or the force applied to the semiconductor wafer is modified. This in situ monitoring decreases breakage and overheating of the semiconductor wafer (12).

Abstract: A machining apparatus (10) comprises a material removing tool (12) movably mounted for removing material from a workpiece (14); means for illuminating (42, 54) a sample area upon a tool surface (34) with excitation radiation; means for receiving (42, 54) sample light emitted from the sample area; a spectral analyzer (54) for performing a spectral analysis of the sample light received; and means for determining (60) the condition of the tool at the sample area from the spectral analysis of the sample light. The wear of the tool (12) is determined as such a condition. Operation parameters of the machining apparatus (10) are adjusted according to the determined wear. An example application is a wafer dicing tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scribing method for wafers (11), wherein a defined beam (12) is directed onto the wafer (11) by means of a beam generator means (10) so as to remove some wafer material from a wafer region. The invention also relates to a wafer-scribing device including a wafer mount (31) and a beam generator means (10) by means of which at least one defined beam can be directed onto the wafer (11).

Abstract: A device for performing surface treatment on semiconductor wafers has a cassette (1) for accommodating a plurality of wafers (5) in its interior (3); the wafers (5) are aligned in a first row. The wafer surfaces (51) are essentially in parallel with each other. The cassette (1) has a side-wall (10) which can be arranged essentially perpendicular with respect to the wafer surfaces (51); the side-wall (10) has openings (111′-145′) on its face (101) which is directed to the wafers (5), the openings (111′-145′) are aligned in second rows, the second rows are essentially parallel to the first row; the openings (111′-114′) are connected to respective supply channels (11′, 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′) for transporting a surface treatment medium which is fed to one (15′) of these supply channels via a feeding point (FP). The cross-section of the openings (111′-145′) is variable.

Abstract: A method of filling gaps on a semiconductor wafer with a dielectric material employs a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process with a temperature in the range of 500 to 700° C. As a result of the deposition process, gaps resulting from e.g. shallow trench isolation or premetal dielectric techniques are filled homogeneously without any voids. The deposition may be improved by applying two radio frequency signals with different frequencies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for the manufacture of semiconductor devices by lithography, and in particular to an assembly of mask containers for use in such a system. The system comprises: a plurality of mask containers adapted to engage with one another such that two or more containers can be carried together as a stack; a plurality of lithography bays; a transport rail system for carrying the containers between different lithography bays. Each lithography bay has a transmitter/receiver unit for communicating lithography data with a tracking device located in each container, allowing for more efficient mask management. The transportation of the containers in stacks results in an improvement in efficiency.

Abstract: A machining apparatus (10) comprises a material removing tool (12) movably mounted for removing material from a workpiece (14); means for illuminating (42, 54) a sample area upon a tool surface (34) with excitation radiation; means for receiving (42, 54) sample light emitted from the sample area; a spectral analyzer (54) for performing a spectral analysis of the sample light received; and means for determining (60) the condition of the tool at the sample area from the spectral analysis of the sample light. The wear of the tool (12) is determined as such a condition. Operation parameters of the machining apparatus (10) are adjusted according to the determined wear. An example application is a wafer dicing tool.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a contact stud (100) contacts a semiconductor substrate (10); the stud is embedded in an insulating structure with a first insulating layer (20) and a second insulating layer (20′). During manufacturing, (a) the first layer (20) is provided above the substrate (10); (b) a hole in the first layer (20) exposes a portion of the upper surface of the substrate to receive the stud; (c) a contact material (30, 40) is provided at the top of the resulting structure; (d) a first chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) removes the contact material from the surface of the first layer (20) outside the hole; (e) residuals (50) of the contact material are cleaned away from the upper surface; (f) the second insulating layer (20′) is provided at the surface of the resulting structure; (g) and further polishing is applied.

Abstract: In a chemical-mechanical polishing machine (101) where a polishing head (100) holds a wafer (150) against a polishing pad (140), a retaining ring (300) that surrounds the wafer (150) has an open chamber (350) to distribute pressurized slurry (144) to the polishing pad (140) and to the periphery (153) of the wafer (150).

Abstract: In a CVD chamber (120) having a chuck (122) to hold a semiconductor substrate (100) and having a plasma generator (121) to generate a plasma (125), a trench in the substrate is filled with dielectric material from ions (126) of the plasma. The ions are forced to move in a direction (127) that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate by a pulsed unidirectional voltage between the plasma generator and the substrate, by a circular magnetic field, or by a combination of both fields.

Abstract: Heating (200) a semiconductor wafer (150) in a process chamber (100) is performed in the order of: placing (210) the wafer (100) with the backside (152) on a plurality of support elements (112) that extend from a chuck (100); ejecting (220) a heating gas (122, He) from a shower head (120) located within the process chamber (100) to the frontside (151) of the wafer (150); and moving (230) the support elements (112) into recesses (111) within the chuck (100) to that the wafer backside (152) touches the chuck (110).