Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal silicon wafer comprising a front surface, a back surface, a lateral surface joining the front and back surfaces, a central+ axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, and a segment which is axially symmetric about the central axis extending substantially from the front surface to the back surface in which crystal lattice vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, the segment having a radial width of at least about 25% of the radius and containing agglomerated vacancy defects and a residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancies wherein (i) the agglomerated vacancy defects have a radius of less than about 70 nm and (ii) the residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancy intrinsic point defects is less than the threshold concentration at which uncontrolled oxygen precipitation occurs upon subjecting the wafer to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal silicon wafer comprising a front surface, a back surface, a lateral surface joining the front and back surfaces, a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, and a segment which is axially symmetric about the central axis extending substantially from the front surface to the back surface in which crystal lattice vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, the segment having a radial width of at least about 25% of the radius and containing agglomerated vacancy defects and a residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancies wherein (i) the agglomerated vacancy defects have a radius of less than about 70 nm and (ii) the residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancy intrinsic point defects is less than the threshold concentration at which uncontrolled oxygen precipitation occurs upon subjecting the wafer to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A single crystal silicon wafer comprising a front surface, a back surface, a lateral surface joining the front and back surfaces, a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, and a segment which is axially symmetric about the central axis extending substantially from the front surface to the back surface in which crystal lattice vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, the segment having a radial width of at least about 25% of the radius and containing agglomerated vacancy defects and a residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancies wherein (i) the agglomerated vacancy defects have a radius of less than about 70 nm and (ii) the residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancy intrinsic point defects is less than the threshold concentration at which uncontrolled oxygen precipitation occurs upon subjecting the wafer to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to single crystal silicon, in ingot or wafer form, having an axially symmetric vacancy dominated region and an axially symmetric silicon self-interstitial dominated region. Both the vacancy dominated and the silicon self-interstitial dominated regions are substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The vacancy dominated region has a radial width of at least 15 mm and/or includes the central axis and the silicon self-interstitial dominated region is annular in shape and extends radially outward from the vacancy dominated region to the peripheral edge of the ingot or wafer. In ingot form, the axially symmetric regions have an axial length which is at least 20% of the length of the constant diameter portion of the ingot.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal silicon wafer comprising a front surface, a back surface, a lateral surface joining the front and back surfaces, a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, and a segment which is axially symmetric about the central axis extending substantially from the front surface to the back surface in which crystal lattice vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, the segment having a radial width of at least about 25% of the radius and containing agglomerated vacancy defects and a residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancies wherein (i) the agglomerated vacancy defects have a radius of less than about 70 nm and (ii) the residual concentration of crystal lattice vacancy intrinsic point defects is less than the threshold concentration at which uncontrolled oxygen precipitation occurs upon subjecting the wafer to an oxygen precipitation heat treatment.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for growing a single crystal silicon. The process including controlling a growth velocity, v, and an average axial temperature gradient, G0, during the growth of the constant diameter portion of the crystal over the temperature range from solidification to a temperature of no less than about 1325° C., to cause the formation of a first axially symmetrical region in which vacancies, upon cooling of the ingot from the solidification temperature, are the predominant intrinsic point defect and which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects, wherein the first axially symmetric region has a width of at least about 50% of the radius of the constant diameter portion of the ingot.

Abstract: The present invention relates to single crystal silicon, in ingot or wafer form, which contains an axially symmetric region which is free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects, and a process for the preparation thereof.

Abstract: A control method for use with a crystal puller for growing a monocrystalline semiconductor crystal from a melt according to the Czochralski process. The method includes defining an initial interval of time for observing growth of the crystal being pulled from the melt and determining diameter variations occurring during the interval. Based on the variations in the crystal diameter, the method defines a function r(t). By performing a best fit routine on the function r(t), the method deduces current values of crystal radius rf, meniscus height hf and growth rate Vgf at the end of the observation interval. The method also includes determining pull rate and heater power parameters as a function of the growth rate to control the crystal puller to minimize variations in both crystal diameter and growth rate during subsequent growth of the crystal.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A process for growing a single crystal silicon ingot having an axially symmetric region substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The ingot is grown generally in accordance with the Czochralski method; however, the manner by which the ingot is cooled from the temperature of solidification to a temperature which is in excess of about 900° C. is controlled to allow for the diffusion of intrinsic point defects, such that agglomerated defects do not form in this axially symmetric region. Accordingly, the ratio v/G0 is allowed to vary axially within this region, due to changes in v or G0, between a minimum and maximum value by at least 5%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for growing a single crystal silicon ingot, which contains an axially symmetric region having a predominant intrinsic point defect and which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects in that region. The process comprising cooling the ingot from the temperature of solidification to a temperature of less than 800° C. and, as part of said cooling step, quench cooling a region of the constant diameter portion of the ingot having a predominant intrinsic point defect through the temperature of nucleation for the agglomerated intrinsic point defects for the intrinsic point defects which predominate in the region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an epitaxial wafer comprising single crystal silicon substrate and an epitaxial layer deposited thereon. The substrate comprises an axially symmetric region which is free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects and wherein silicon self-interstitials are the predominant intrinsic point defect in the axially symmetric region. The present invention further relates to a process for producing such an epitaxial wafer.

Abstract: A process for growing a single crystal silicon ingot having an axially symmetric region substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The ingot is grown generally in accordance with the Czochralski method; however, the manner by which the ingot is cooled from the temperature of solidification to a temperature which is in excess of about 900° C. is controlled to allow for the diffusion of intrinsic point defects, such that agglomerated defects do not form in this axially symmetric region. Accordingly, the ratio v/G0 is allowed to vary axially within this region, due to changes in v or G0, between a minimum and maximum value by at least 5%.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to single crystal silicon, in ingot or wafer form, which contains an axially symmetric region in which vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect and which is substantially free of agglomerated vacancy intrinsic point defects, wherein the first axially symmetric region has a width which is at least about 50% of the length of the radius of the ingot, and a process for the preparation thereof.