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).
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Patent number: 10844513Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 17, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Walter Heuwieser, Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger, Masamichi Ookubo
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Publication number: 20190136404Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Walter HEUWIESER, Dieter KNERER, Werner SCHACHINGER, Masamichi OOKUBO
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Patent number: 9249525Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 10, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger
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Patent number: 8691009Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Siltronic AGInventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20130014695Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Werner Schachinger
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Patent number: 8216361Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Siltronic AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
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Patent number: 8088219Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Siltronic AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
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Publication number: 20110318546Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2011Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
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Patent number: 7828897Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 25, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignees: Crystal Growing Systems GmbH, Siltronic AGInventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Patent number: 7815736Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Siltronic AGInventor: Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20090188425Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2009Publication date: July 30, 2009Inventors: Burkhard ALTEKRUGER, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20080022922Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Inventors: Burkhard Altekruger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20080026232Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: SILTRONIC AGInventors: Dieter Knerer, Andreas Huber, Ulrich Lambert, Friedrich Passek
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Publication number: 20070044711Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Applicant: Siltronic AGInventor: Dieter Knerer