Patents by Inventor Daniela Gambaro
Daniela Gambaro 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).
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Patent number: 9129919Abstract: Processes for the treatment of silicon wafers to form a high density non-uniform distribution of oxygen precipitate nuclei therein such that, upon being subjected to the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, the wafers form oxygen precipitates in the bulk and a precipitate-free zone near the surface are disclosed. The processes involve activation of inactive oxygen precipitate nuclei by performing heat treatments between about 400° C. and about 600° C. for at least about 1 hour.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: SunEdison Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Robert J. Falster, Vladimir V. Voronkov, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Publication number: 20140141537Abstract: Processes for the treatment of silicon wafers to form a high density non-uniform distribution of oxygen precipitate nuclei therein such that, upon being subjected to the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, the wafers form oxygen precipitates in the bulk and a precipitate-free zone near the surface are disclosed. The processes involve activation of inactive oxygen precipitate nuclei by performing heat treatments between about 400° C. and about 600° C. for at least about 1 hour.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: SUNEDISON, INC.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Vladimir V. Voronkov, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 7442253Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process either comprises exposing the wafer's front and back surfaces to different atmospheres, or thermally annealing two wafers in a face-to-face arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Publication number: 20070224783Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process either comprises exposing the wafer's front and back surfaces to different atmospheres, or thermally annealing two wafers in a face-to-face arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2007Publication date: September 27, 2007Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Robert Falster, Joseph Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus McQuaid, Bayard Johnson
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Patent number: 7229693Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Publication number: 20060075960Abstract: A process for nucleating and growing oxygen precipitates in a silicon wafer, including subjecting a wafer having a non-uniform concentration of crystal lattice vacancies with the concentration of vacancies in the bulk layer being greater than the concentration of vacancies in the surface layer to a non-isothermal heat treatment to form of a denuded zone in the surface layer and to cause the formation and stabilization of oxygen precipitates having an effective radial size 0.5 nm to 30 nm in the bulk layer. The process optionally includes subjecting the stabilized wafer to a high temperature thermal process (e.g. epitaxial deposition, rapid thermal oxidation, rapid thermal nitridation and etc.) at temperatures in the range of 1000 OC to 1275 OC without causing the dissolution of the stabilized oxygen precipitates.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2005Publication date: April 13, 2006Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Marco Borgini, Daniela Gambaro, Marco Ravani, Michael Ries, Laura Sacchetti, Robert Standley, Robert Falster, Mark Stinson
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Publication number: 20050170610Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2005Publication date: August 4, 2005Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert Falster, Joseph Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus McQuaid, Bayard Johnson
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Patent number: 6896728Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process including growing a single crystal silicon ingot from molten silicon, and as part of the growth process, controlling (i) a growth velocity, v, (ii) an average axial temperature gradient, G0, during the growth of a constant diameter portion of the crystal over a temperature range from solidification to a temperature of no less than about 1325° C., and (iii) a cooling rate of the crystal from a solidification temperature to about 1,050° C., in order to cause the formation of an axially symmetrical segment which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2003Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Patent number: 6849119Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, and a central plane between the front and back surfaces. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies, the vacancies being formed in the bulk of the silicon. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the front surface to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile in which the peak density is at or near the central plane with the concentration generally decreasing in the direction of the front surface of the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Publication number: 20040025782Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process including growing a single crystal silicon ingot from molten silicon, and as part of the growth process, controlling (i) a growth velocity, v, (ii) an average axial temperature gradient, G0, during the growth of a constant diameter portion of the crystal over a temperature range from solidification to a temperature of no less than about 1325° C., and (iii) a cooling rate of the crystal from a solidification temperature to about 1,050° C., in order to cause the formation of an axially symmetrical segment which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2003Publication date: February 12, 2004Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Publication number: 20030196586Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, and a central plane between the front and back surfaces. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies, the vacancies being formed in the bulk of the silicon. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the front surface to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile in which the peak density is at or near the central plane with the concentration generally decreasing in the direction of the front surface of the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 6586068Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, and a central plane between the front and back surfaces. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies in the wafer. During the heat-treatment, the front and back surfaces of the wafer are each exposed to either a nitriding or non-nitriding gas. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the front surface to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile determined in part by the gas that each surface is exposed to and in part by the cooling rate.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2000Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 6555194Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing a silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any arbitrary electronic device manufacturing process, may form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates and may additionally contain an axially symmetric region which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The process including growing a single crystal silicon ingot from molten silicon, and as part of the growth process, controlling (i) a growth velocity, v, (ii) an average axial temperature gradient, G0, during the growth of a constant diameter portion of the crystal over a temperature range from solidification to a temperature of no less than about 1325° C., and (iii) a cooling rate of the crystal from a solidification temperature to about 1,050° C., in order to cause the formation of an axially symmetrical segment which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert A. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Patent number: 6537368Abstract: A process for preparing a silicon epitaxial wafer. The wafer has a front surface having an epitaxial layer deposited thereon, a back surface, and a bulk region between the front and back surfaces, wherein the bulk region contains a concentration of oxygen precipitates. In the process, the wafer is first subjected to an ideal oxygen precipitating heat treatment to causes the formation of a non-uniform distribution of crystal lattice vacancies with the concentration of vacancies in the bulk region being greater than the distribution of vacancies in the front surface. The ideal precipitating wafer is then subjected to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment to cause the nucleation and growth of oxygen precipitates to a size sufficient to stabilize the oxygen precipitates, with the oxygen precipitates being formed primarily according to the vacancy profile. An epitaxial layer is then deposited on the surface of the oxygen precipitate stabilized wafer.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials SpAInventors: Robert J. Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Publication number: 20020179006Abstract: The process relates to a process for nucleating and growing oxygen precipitates in a silicon wafer. The process includes subjecting a wafer having a non-uniform concentration of crystal lattice vacancies with the concentration of vacancies in the bulk layer being greater than the concentration of vacancies in the surface layer to a non-isothermal heat treatment to form of a denuded zone in the surface layer and to cause the formation and stabilization of oxygen precipitates having an effective radial size 0.5 nm to 30 nm in the bulk layer. The process optionally includes subjecting the stabilized wafer to a high temperature thermal process (e.g. epitaxial deposition, rapid thermal oxidation, rapid thermal nitridation and etc.) at temperatures in the range of 1000° C. to 1275° C. without causing the dissolution of the stabilized oxygen precipitates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Marco Borgini, Daniela Gambaro, Marco Ravani, Michael J. Ries, Laura Sacchetti, Robert W. Standley, Robert J. Falster, Mark G. Stinson
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Publication number: 20020026893Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, a central plane between the front and back surfaces, and a sink for crystal lattice vacancies at the front surface. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies, the vacancies being formed in the bulk of the silicon. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the crystal lattice vacancy sink to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile in which the peak density is at or near the central plane with the concentration generally decreasing in the direction of the front surface of the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Inventors: Robert Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 6306733Abstract: A process for preparing an silicon epitaxial wafer. The wafer has a front surface having an epitaxial layer deposited thereon, a back surface, and a bulk region between the front and back surfaces, wherein the bulk region contains a concentration of oxygen precipitates. In the process, a wafer having interstitial oxygen atoms is first subjected to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment to cause the nucleation and growth of oxygen precipitates to a size sufficient to stabilize the oxygen precipitates. An epitaxial layer is then deposited on the surface of the oxygen precipitate stabilized wafer.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2000Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, SPAInventors: Robert Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 6204152Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, a central plane between the front and back surfaces, and a sink for crystal lattice vacancies at the front surface. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies, the vacancies being formed in the bulk of the silicon. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the crystal lattice vacancy sink to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile in which the peak density is at or near the central plane with the concentration generally decreasing in the direction of the front surface of the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1999Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, SpAInventors: Robert Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo
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Patent number: 6190631Abstract: A single crystal silicon wafer which, during the heat treatment cycles of essentially any electronic device manufacturing process, will form an ideal, non-uniform depth distribution of oxygen precipitates. The wafer is characterized in that is has a non-uniform distribution of crystal lattice vacancies, the concentration of vacancies in the bulk layer being greater than the concentration of vacancies in the surface layer and the vacancies having a concentration profile in which the peak density of the vacancies is at or near a central plane with the concentration generally decreasing from the position of peak density in the direction of a front surface of the wafer. In one embodiment, the wafer is further characterized in that it has a first axially symmetric region in which vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect and which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects, wherein the first axially symmetric region comprises a central axis or has a width of at least about 15 mm.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert A. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
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Patent number: 6180220Abstract: A process for heat-treating a single crystal silicon wafer to influence the precipitation behavior of oxygen in the wafer in a subsequent thermal processing step. The wafer has a front surface, a back surface, and a central plane between the front and back surfaces. In the process, the wafer is subjected to a heat-treatment to form crystal lattice vacancies, the vacancies being formed in the bulk of the silicon. The wafer is then cooled from the temperature of said heat treatment at a rate which allows some, but not all, of the crystal lattice vacancies to diffuse to the front surface to produce a wafer having a vacancy concentration profile in which the peak density is at or near the central plane with the concentration generally decreasing in the direction of the front surface of the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 1998Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.Inventors: Robert Falster, Marco Cornara, Daniela Gambaro, Massimiliano Olmo