Abstract: A local dry etching method for a SOI wafer capable of flattening an active silicon layer to a layer thickness of a target at a high throughput and to a required accuracy by using a multi-step local dry etching apparatus wherein the apparatus comprises first and second vacuum chambers, a small diameter nozzle, a large diameter nozzle of a diameter larger than that of the small diameter nozzle, an activated species gas generator for generating activated species gases to be blown out of each of the nozzles, each of feeding devices disposed in each of the vacuum chambers for providing a relative speed between the SOI wafer and each of the nozzles to conduct scanning and transportation device, in which the active silicon layer of the SOI waver is etched in the first vacuum chamber to remove the surface unevenness and the active silicon layer is etched to a required layer thickness in the second vacuum chamber.

Abstract: In a local dry etching method of the invention, a surface of a representative wafer sampled from a lot is test etched, each wafer of which is sliced from the same ingot, and initial data of recesses and projections of which is previously known, recesses and projections of the representative wafer is measured after test etched, an etching profile is derived from the initial data and measured data and then respective wafer surfaces of the lot are etched in condition calculated by using at least the derived etching profile.

Abstract: In the polishing apparatus, the rotating corner polishing member is positioned so that its edge is aligned with the edge of the insulation film, and a pressing means applied the corner polishing member to the metal film of the periphery thereof. The metal film is removed by the rotary driven polishing member and slurry supplied to the polishing area. The metal portion penetrated in the corner formed by the side wall of the insulation film and the surface of the semi-conductor wafer substrate that is extremely difficult to be removed by the conventional removal method, can be removed substantially completely.

Abstract: In a local dry etching method, position-thickness data of a semiconductor wafer is previously obtained by measuring the wafer surface, components of position-thickness data shorter than a predetermined spatial wavelength are cut off by filtering and nozzle-wafer relative speed for planarizing the surface is calculated using the filtered data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer edge polishing system which improves the throughput and reduces the average processing cost. The system incorporates a wafer inspection unit. A wafer is polished in a wafer edge polishing unit and carried by a carrier unit to the wafer inspection unit where the polished surfaces of the wafer is inspected, and if it is judged as poorly polished, it is re-carried to the wafer edge polishing unit by the carrier unit.

Abstract: A wafer flattening process designed to flatten the entire surface of the wafer including the outer rim of the wafer by inserting dummy data corresponding to the data of the outer rim of the wafer in the data of the outside of the wafer, and a storage medium for the same. An area S is set at an outside position exactly an etching radius r from an outer rim Wc of the wafer Wc ahd the nozzle relative speed at the position-speed data D of points P4-1 to P4-3 closest to an imaginary line L passing through the point P4 inside the area S near the outer rim Wc is set to be the same as the nozzle relative speed of the position-speed data D of the point P4. Due to this, the nozzle spraying the activated species gas G moves as if along the imaginary line L and the portion of the point P4 is etched flat by superposition of the activated species gas G of the nozzle passing through the points P4-1 to P4-3, the point P4, and the point P6.

Abstract: In the polishing apparatus, the rotating corner polishing member is positioned so that its edge is aligned with the edge of the insulation film, and a pressing means applied the corner polishing member to the metal film of the periphery thereof. The metal film is removed by the rotary driven polishing member and slurry supplied to the polishing area. The metal portion penetrated in the corner formed by the side wall of the insulation film and the surface of the semi-conductor wafer substrate that is extremely difficult to be removed by the conventional removal method, can be removed substantially completely.

Abstract: In a local dry etching method of the invention, a surface of a representative wafer sampled from a lot is test etched, each wafer of which is sliced from the same ingot, and initial data of recesses and projections of which is previously known, recesses and projections of the representative wafer is measured after test etched, an etching profile is derived from the initial data and measured data and then respective wafer surfaces of the lot are etched in condition calculated by using at least the derived etching profile.

Abstract: A pair of edge polishing members (13a, 13b) each having a recess arcked working surface (22) are located on both sides of a diameter direction of a circular plate-shaped work (1) which is held by a chuck means (12) and is rotatable therewith, with the axes of the respective polishing members being inclined with respect to the axis (L) of the work (1), in a manner such that the working surface (22) of one edge polishing member (13a) gets in contact with the edge portion (2a) on the front side of the work (1), while the working surface (22) of the other edge polishing member (13b) gets in contact with the edge portion (2b) on the back side of the work (1), thereby polishing the two edge portions (2a, 2b).

Abstract: In the semiconductor wafer manufacturing method of the present invention, a deteriorated layer on the surface of a semiconductor wafer which has been made flat by lapping or polishing is removed by the following dry etching. Plasma which contains a neutral active species is generated within a discharge tube. The neutral active species is separated from the plasma thus generated and is then conveyed to an orifice side of a nozzle portion of the discharge tube. The orifice is opposed to the wafer surface and the nozzle portion moves along the wafer surface while the neutral active species is sprayed from the nozzle orifice toward the wafer surface which is pre-heated. By such dry etching, the deteriorated layer on the wafer surface is removed without the occurrence of any etch pit.

Abstract: A discharge tube for a local etching apparatus has a portion positioned within a waveguide which is for the generation of plasma, the said portion being tapered so as to be divergent toward an orifice side of the discharge tube. Even in the event a maximum field strength position of a standing wave in the waveguide should be deviated due to a change in microwave transmission characteristic of the material of the discharge tube or a change in the position of a plunger under the influence of heat, the maximum field strength position lies somewhere in the vicinity of a wall surface of the tapered portion, so that a supplied gas is converted to plasma stably in a short time. When the discharge tube is to be cooled, the cooling can be done effectively with a cooling gas which is cooled by adiabatic expansion while passing through the tapered portion.

Abstract: An edge face of a deposited film at an edge portion of a device wafer having the deposited film formed on a substrate is polished at a substantially right angle so as to prevent the deposited film from peeling-off and dusting. A forming body having a sectional shape substantially agreeing with that of an edge portion of a device wafer after polishing, which is an object to be polished, is rotated and brought into contact with a polishing body so as to form a polishing portion on the polishing body surface. The edge portion of the object-to be polished is rotated and urged into contact with the formed polishing portion, so that the edge portion of the object to be polished is polished in a sectional shape agreeing with that of the polishing portion of the polishing body. The edge face of the deposited film on the substrate surface is polished not slantingly but at a right angel so as to be removed, so that peeling-off of the deposited film due to a post-process, etc.

Abstract: A local etching apparatus, and a local etching method are provided to give a high etching rate and enable fine etching. A quartz discharge tube 2 passes through a chamber 9 and has a spray port 21 of a nozzle portion 20 facing a silicon wafer W. A plasma generator 1 causes plasma discharge of a gas fed to the quartz discharge tube 2 so as to produce radicals. An exhaust portion 6 has an exhaust pipe 60 arranged near the nozzle portion 20 so that the spray port 21 of the nozzle portion 20 projects out to the silicon wafer W side from the suction port 60a. The exhaust portion 6 draws into the suction port 60a of the exhaust pipe 60 the reaction products G produced when locally etching the silicon wafer W by the radicals R and exhausts them to the outside of the chamber 9. Desirably, an etching region limiting portion 7 can be provided to feed into the chamber 9 a gas of a predetermined pressure for suppressing the spread of the radicals R sprayed from the spray port 21 of the nozzle portion 20.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant system and method for a plasma etching apparatus are provided which are capable of reducing a corrosion or erosion phenomenon of a discharge tube, equipment and/or elements in a chamber of the plasma etching apparatus which is used for localized etching. A micro wave M is oscillated from a micro wave oscillator 20 toward a mixed gas of CF4 and O2 in a quartz discharge tube 110 to thereby produce plasma discharge. The micro wave oscillator 20 is controlled in an on-off manner by means of a pulse generator 21, to thereby oscillate a pulsed micro wave M. As a result, it is possible to reduce the erosion of the quartz discharge tube 110 caused by an active species gas G generated by the plasma discharge. Preferably, a corrosion-resistant oil A is filled in the chamber 100 for preventing an X-Y drive mechanism 130, etc., therein from being corroded or eroded by the active species gas G diffusing in the chamber 100.

Abstract: A polishing compound in the form of a dispersion containing silicon oxide particles having an average diameter of 8 to 500 manometers and at least one kind of metal compound particles having an average diameter of 10 to 3000 nanometers and selected from metal oxides, metal nitrides and metal carbides. The concentration of silicon oxide particles is 1 to 15 wt. %. The concentration of silicon oxide particles is 0.1 to 10 wt. %. The pH of the dispersion is 8.3 to 11.5, and is buffered by the addition of a buffering combination composed of weak acid and/or weak base, wherein the logarithms of reciprocal number of acid dissociation constant at 25° C. of the weak acid and/or weak base is 8.0 to 12.5.

Abstract: An edge face of a deposited film at an edge portion of a device wafer having the deposited film formed on a substrate is polished at a substantially right angle so as to prevent the deposited film from peeling-off and dusting. A forming body having a sectional shape substantially agreeing with that of an edge portion of a device wafer after polishing, which is an object to be polished, is rotated and brought into contact with a polishing body so as to form a polishing portion on the polishing body surface. The edge portion of the object to be polished is rotated and urged into contact with the formed polishing portion, so that the edge portion of the object to be polished is polished in a sectional shape agreeing with that of the polishing portion of the polishing body. The edge face of the deposited film on the substrate surface is polished not slantingly but at a right angel so as to be removed, so that peeling-off of the deposited film due to a post-process, etc.

Abstract: The present invention is a polishing compound comprising a colloidal solution containing 1˜15 wt. % of silicon oxide particles of 8˜500 nanometer average diameter, wherein said colloidal solution is prepared as a buffer solution which has buffering action between pH 8.7˜10.6 by the addition of one combination selected from groups composed by weak acid and strong base, strong acid and weak base or weak acid and weak base, and logarithms of reciprocal number of acid dissociation constant at 25° C. of said weak acid and/or weak base is 8.0˜12.0.

Abstract: A wafer flattening process and system enables a reduction of the surface roughness of a wafer resulting from local etching. A silicon wafer W is brought into close proximity to a nozzle portion 20 to feed SF6 gas to an alumina discharge tube 2, a plasma generator 1 is used to cause plasma discharge and spray a first activated species gas from the nozzle portion 20 to the silicon wafer W side, an X-Y drive mechanism 4 is used to make the nozzle portion 20 scan to perform a local etching step. Then the silicon wafer W is moved away from the nozzle portion 20 and O2 gas and CF4 gas are fed to the alumina discharge tube. At this time, the O2 gas is set to be greater in amount than the CF4 gas. When this mixed gas is made to discharge to generate plasma, a second activated species gas diffuses from the nozzle portion 20 to the entire surface of the silicon wafer W.

Abstract: A carrier and a polishing apparatus are designed to improve the mass producibility of wafers while using a retainer ring formed by a soft material. A rubber sheet 4 is bonded to the bottom surface of a carrier body 2 of the carrier 1 to define a pressure chamber R, a retainer ring 13 formed by a soft material such as EG is bonded to the bottom surface of the sheet 4. A margin block 40 is provided projecting out from the bottom side of the sheet 4, and the thickness of the retainer ring 13 is set to be substantially equal to the sum of the thickness L1 of the margin block 40 and the thickness L2 of the wafer W.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus comprises a rotating table intermittently rotating through 120°0 increments; three polishing drums and three work-holding means 12 provided on the rotating table; a handling means for unloading a processed work from the work-holding means at a handling position and supplying an unprocessed work to the work-holding means at the same position; and a work-inverting means for inverting a work, the front-plane-side edge of which has been polished, at a front-plane edge polishing position.