Patents by Inventor Dieter Knerer

Dieter Knerer 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: 10844513
    Abstract: Single crystal semiconductor wafers comprise oxygen and an n-type dopant, and are produced by a process comprising providing a silicon melt containing n-type dopant in a quartz crucible, the melt having an initial height hM; heating the melt from the side by selectively supplying heat to an upper volume of the melt having an initial height hm, wherein hm is smaller than hM; pulling a single crystal of silicon from the melt by the CZ method with a pulling velocity V; heating the melt from above in the region of a phase boundary between the growing single crystal and the melt; heating the melt from above in the region of a surface of the melt; subjecting the melt to a magnetic field; counterdoping the melt with p-type dopant; and separating the semiconductor wafer of single-crystal silicon from the single crystal. An apparatus for accomplishing the process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Walter Heuwieser, Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger, Masamichi Ookubo
  • Publication number: 20190136404
    Abstract: Single crystal semiconductor wafers comprise oxygen and an n-type dopant, and are produced by a process comprising providing a silicon melt containing n-type dopant in a quartz crucible, the melt having an initial height hM; heating the melt from the side by selectively supplying heat to an upper volume of the melt having an initial height hm, wherein hm is smaller than hM; pulling a single crystal of silicon from the melt by the CZ method with a pulling velocity V; heating the melt from above in the region of a phase boundary between the growing single crystal and the melt; heating the melt from above in the region of a surface of the melt; subjecting the melt to a magnetic field; counterdoping the melt with p-type dopant; and separating the semiconductor wafer of single-crystal silicon from the single crystal. An apparatus for accomplishing the process is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Walter HEUWIESER, Dieter KNERER, Werner SCHACHINGER, Masamichi OOKUBO
  • Patent number: 9249525
    Abstract: A ring-shaped resistance heater for supplying heat to a growing single crystal, contains an upper and a lower ring, which are electrically conductively connected by means of a loop adjacent to a ring gap of one ring, such that the flow direction of electric current which is conducted through the rings is opposite in the rings; connecting elements which hold the upper and lower rings together in a spaced apart relationship; and current leads for conducting electric current through the upper and lower rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger
  • Patent number: 8691009
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • Publication number: 20130014695
    Abstract: A ring-shaped resistance heater for supplying heat to a growing single crystal, comprising: an upper and a lower ring, which are electrically conductively connected by means of a loop adjacent to a ring gap of the lower ring, such that the flow direction of electric current which is conducted through the rings is opposite in the rings; connecting elements which hold the upper and lower rings together at a distance; and current leads for conducting electric current through the upper and lower rings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger
  • Patent number: 8216361
    Abstract: Monocrystalline semiconductor wafers have defect-reduced regions, the defect-reduced regions having a density of GOI-relevant defects within the range of 0/cm2 to 0.1/cm2 and occupy overall an areal proportion of 10% to 100% of the planar area of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the remaining regions of the semiconductor wafer have a significantly higher defect density than the defect-reduced regions. The wafers may be produced by a method for annealing GOI relevant defects in the wafer, by irradiating defined regions of a side of the semiconductor wafer by laser wherein each location is irradiated with a power density of 1 GW/m2 to 10 GW/m2 for at least 25 ms, wherein the laser emits radiation of a wavelength above the absorption edge of the wafer semiconductor material and wherein the temperature of the wafer rises by less than 20 K as a result of irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
  • Patent number: 8088219
    Abstract: Monocrystalline semiconductor wafers have defect-reduced regions, the defect-reduced regions having a density of GOI-relevant defects within the range of 0/cm2 to 0.1/cm2 and occupy overall an areal proportion of 10% to 100% of the planar area of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the remaining regions of the semiconductor wafer have a significantly higher defect density than the defect-reduced regions. The wafers may be produced by a method for annealing GOI relevant defects in the wafer, by irradiating defined regions of a side of the semiconductor wafer by laser wherein each location is irradiated with a power density of 1 GW/m2 to 10 GW/m2 for at least 25 ms, wherein the laser emits radiation of a wavelength above the absorption edge of the wafer semiconductor material and wherein the temperature of the wafer rises by less than 20 K as a result of irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
  • Publication number: 20110318546
    Abstract: Monocrystalline semiconductor wafers have defect-reduced regions, the defect-reduced regions having a density of GOI-relevant defects within the range of 0/cm2 to 0.1/cm2 and occupy overall an areal proportion of 10% to 100% of the planar area of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the remaining regions of the semiconductor wafer have a significantly higher defect density than the defect-reduced regions. The wafers may be produced by a method for annealing GOI relevant defects in the wafer, by irradiating defined regions of a side of the semiconductor wafer by laser wherein each location is irradiated with a power density of 1 GW/m2 to 10 GW/m2 for at least 25 ms, wherein the laser emits radiation of a wavelength above the absorption edge of the wafer semiconductor material and wherein the temperature of the wafer rises by less than 20 K as a result of irradiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
  • Patent number: 7828897
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Crystal Growing Systems GmbH, Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • Patent number: 7815736
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a single crystal during Czochralski crystal pulling below a thickened crystal neck has lower bearing surface(s) with a central opening inscribable with a horizontal circle of diameter D1, centered on a vertical axis, the bearing surface(s) connected by connecting element(s) to minimally one securing element for securing to a crystal pulling lifting device, the connecting elements arranged to provide a clear-space in the region above the bearing surface(s) in which a circle of diameter D2 centered on the vertical axis (D2>D1) is inscribable over a length of the vertical axis. The unitary apparatus is useful for crystal ingot growth by immersion into the semiconductor melt prior to growth of a Dash neck and a thickening of the Dash neck. The apparatus is then raised to support the crystal by bearing against the bottom of the thickening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Dieter Knerer
  • Publication number: 20090188425
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Burkhard ALTEKRUGER, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • Publication number: 20080022922
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Burkhard Altekruger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • Publication number: 20080026232
    Abstract: Monocrystalline semiconductor wafers have defect-reduced regions, the defect-reduced regions having a density of GOI-relevant defects within the range of 0/cm2 to 0.1/cm2 and occupy overall an areal proportion of 10% to 100% of the planar area of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the remaining regions of the semiconductor wafer have a significantly higher defect density than the defect-reduced regions. The wafers may be produced by a method for annealing GOI relevant defects in the wafer, by irradiating defined regions of a side of the semiconductor wafer by laser wherein each location is irradiated with a power density of 1 GW/m2 to 10 GW/m2 for at least 25 ms, wherein the laser emits radiation of a wavelength above the absorption edge of the wafer semiconductor material and wherein the temperature of the wafer rises by less than 20 K as a result of irradiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
  • Publication number: 20070044711
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a single crystal during Czochralski crystal pulling below a thickened crystal neck has lower bearing surface(s) with a central opening inscribable with a horizontal circle of diameter D1, centered on a vertical axis, the bearing surface(s) connected by connecting element(s) to minimally one securing element for securing to a crystal pulling lifting device, the connecting elements arranged to provide a clear-space in the region above the bearing surface(s) in which a circle of diameter D2 centered on the vertical axis (D2>D1) is inscribable over a length of the vertical axis. The unitary apparatus is useful for crystal ingot growth by immersion into the semiconductor melt prior to growth of a Dash neck and a thickening of the Dash neck. The apparatus is then raised to support the crystal by bearing against the bottom of the thickening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Dieter Knerer