Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first layer including a plurality of first pads, and a second layer including a plurality of second pads. The plurality of first pads are bonded to the plurality of second pads, respectively. At least one of the first pads or the second pads continuously surrounds an insulating portion.

Abstract: A dresser includes a main body having a stepped surface comprising a plurality of steps, wherein a thickness of the main body at a first step of the plurality of steps is a largest thickness of the main body, and a thickness of the main body at a last step of the plurality of steps is a smallest thickness of the main body; and a plurality of superhard particles disposed on each of the plurality of steps of the stepped surface. The plurality of steps of the stepped surface are different in area, and particle diameters of the superhard particles increase stepwise from the first step of the plurality of steps to the last step of the plurality of steps.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a polishing device which polishes a surface of a polishing target, includes a sensor, an end point detector, and an end point condition setter. The sensor senses a characteristic value correlated with a state of the surface during polishing. The end point detector detects that the characteristic value or a polishing time satisfies an end point condition corresponding to an end point of the polishing. The end point condition setter sets the end point condition in accordance with at least one of device information about the polishing device and polishing target information about the polishing target, and outputs the set end point condition to the end point detector.

Abstract: A dresser includes a main body having a stepped surface comprising a plurality of steps, wherein a thickness of the main body at a first step of the plurality of steps is a largest thickness of the main body, and a thickness of the main body at a last step of the plurality of steps is a smallest thickness of the main body; and a plurality of superhard particles disposed on each of the plurality of steps of the stepped surface. The plurality of steps of the stepped surface are different in area, and particle diameters of the superhard particles increase stepwise from the first step of the plurality of steps to the last step of the plurality of steps.

Abstract: A wafer polishing method of polishing one surface of a wafer by rotating a rotating platen to which a polishing pad is affixed and a pressurizing head while supplying slurry onto the rotating platen and pressurizing/holding the wafer on the polishing pad with the pressurizing head, the method including: calculating an F/T value by monitoring a load current value F of a motor for rotating the rotating platen and a surface temperature T of the polishing pad during the wafer polishing; and controlling at least one of the rotation speed of the rotating platen and the polishing pressure of the pressurizing head based on the calculated F/T value.

Abstract: An object is to provide a single-wafer processing single-side polishing method and a single-wafer processing single-side polishing apparatus, which increase the flatness of a semiconductor wafer and reduce variations in flatness. The single-wafer processing single-side polishing method includes a polishing step of polishing a semiconductor wafer; and a shifting step of transferring the semiconductor wafer from a polishing plate to a tray outside the polishing plate, moving the relative position of the semiconductor wafer and the polishing head in the rotation direction of the polishing head, and then holding the semiconductor wafer with the polishing head. The polishing step is performed a plurality of times, and the shifting step is performed at least once between the plurality of polishing steps.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a polishing device which polishes a surface of a polishing target, includes a sensor, an end point detector, and an end point condition setter. The sensor senses a characteristic value correlated with a state of the surface during polishing. The end point detector detects that the characteristic value or a polishing time satisfies an end point condition corresponding to an end point of the polishing. The end point condition setter sets the end point condition in accordance with at least one of device information about the polishing device and polishing target information about the polishing target, and outputs the set end point condition to the end point detector.

Abstract: A wafer polishing method of polishing one surface of a wafer by rotating a rotating platen to which a polishing pad is affixed and a pressurizing head while supplying slurry onto the rotating platen and pressurizing/holding the wafer on the polishing pad with the pressurizing head, the method including: calculating an F/T value by monitoring a load current value F of a motor for rotating the rotating platen and a surface temperature T of the polishing pad during the wafer polishing; and controlling at least one of the rotation speed of the rotating platen and the polishing pressure of the pressurizing head based on the calculated F/T value.

Abstract: A practical method of polishing a wafer that can reduce wafer loss due to dummy polishing, and stabilize the LPD count in production wafers at a low level, is provided. In the method of polishing a wafer according to the present disclosure, a wafer 104 is brought into contact with a polishing cloth 112 provided on the surface of a polishing plate 110, and the wafer 104 and the polishing plate 110 are rotated, thereby performing several rounds of a polishing process on the surface of the wafer 104 using the same polishing cloth 112. At this time, the contact angle of the polishing cloth is measured, and based on the measured value thereof, the timing for a switchover from an initial polishing (or a dummy polishing) mode to a production polishing mode is determined.

Abstract: An object is to provide a single-wafer processing single-side polishing method and a single-wafer processing single-side polishing apparatus, which increase the flatness of a semiconductor wafer and reduce variations in flatness. The single-wafer processing single-side polishing method includes a polishing step of polishing a semiconductor wafer; and a shifting step of transferring the semiconductor wafer from a polishing plate to a tray outside the polishing plate, moving the relative position of the semiconductor wafer and the polishing head in the rotation direction of the polishing head, and then holding the semiconductor wafer with the polishing head. The polishing step is performed a plurality of times, and the shifting step is performed at least once between the plurality of polishing steps.

Abstract: Apparatus polishing one side of a wafer to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth is provided. In the apparatus of the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer. The contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1) is measured; the rotation speed of the head and the surface plate is determined based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4). One side of the wafer is polished by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).

Abstract: A practical method of polishing a wafer that can reduce wafer loss due to dummy polishing, and stabilize the LPD count in production wafers at a low level, is provided. in the method of polishing a wafer according to the present disclosure, a wafer 104 is brought into contact with a polishing cloth 112 provided on the surface of a polishing plate 110, and the wafer 104 and the polishing plate 110 are rotated, thereby performing several rounds of a polishing process on the surface of the wafer 104 using the same polishing cloth 112. At this time, the contact angle of the polishing cloth is measured, and based on the measured value thereof, the timing for a switchover from an initial polishing (or a dummy polishing) mode to a production polishing mode is determined.

Abstract: Apparatus polishing one side of a wafer to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth is provided. In the apparatus of the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer. The contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1) is measured; the rotation speed of the head and the surface plate is determined based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4). One side of the wafer is polished by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of etching a semiconductor wafer are provided. The etching apparatus of a semiconductor wafer having a marker inside includes: a monitoring device capable of monitoring a surface of the semiconductor wafer so as to detect the marker; a nozzle capable of jetting a mixed gas that contains hydrogen fluoride and ozone onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer; a regulator capable of adjusting at least one of hydrogen fluoride concentration and ozone concentration in the mixed gas; and a controller capable of determining whether the marker is detected by the monitoring device and terminating the etching process.

Abstract: A method of polishing one side of a wafer, which makes it possible to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth, is provided. In the method according to the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer, the method including the steps of measuring a contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1); determining a rotation speed of the head and the surface plate, based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4); and polishing the one side of the wafer by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).

Abstract: A silicon wafer surface other than a defect is oxidized by ozone to form a silicon oxide film. A hydrofluoric acid is sprayed and subsequently a cleaning gas is sprayed onto the surface of the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A method of polishing one side of a wafer, which makes it possible to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth, is provided. In the method according to the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer, the method including the steps of measuring a contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1); determining a rotation speed of the head and the surface plate, based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4); and polishing the one side of the wafer by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).

Abstract: A silicon wafer after being subjected to mirror polishing but before being subjected to form an epitaxial layer thereon is subjected to an ozone gas treatment that oxidizes a surface of the silicon wafer by use of ozone gas, a hydrofluoric acid gas treatment that dissolves and removes the oxidized surface of the silicon wafer by use of hydrofluoric acid gas, and a washing treatment that removes foreign substances remaining on the surface of the silicon wafer, whereby PIDs (Polishing Induced Defects) generated by the mirror polishing are forcedly oxidized, dissolved and removed. By performing epitaxial treatment thereafter, PID-induced convex defects can be prevented from generating on the surface of the epitaxial wafer.

Abstract: A processing method of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method comprising the steps of: removing at least part of oxide film from a surface of the semiconductor wafer; removing liquid from the surface; and providing at least partial oxide film on the surface by applying an oxidizing gas wherein a gas flow of the oxidizing gas and/or an ambient gas involved by the oxidizing gas is characterized by an unsaturated vapor pressure of the liquid such that the liquid on the surface vaporizes. The above-described steps are conducted in this order.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of etching a semiconductor wafer are provided. The etching apparatus of a semiconductor wafer having a marker inside includes: a monitoring device capable of monitoring a surface of the semiconductor wafer so as to detect the marker; a nozzle capable of jetting a mixed gas that contains hydrogen fluoride and ozone onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer; a regulator capable of adjusting at least one of hydrogen fluoride concentration and ozone concentration in the mixed gas; and a controller capable of determining whether the marker is detected by the monitoring device and terminating the etching process.