Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system for processing a set of semiconductor wafers includes a bond treat station including an oven, a cleave station including a cleave assembly for cleaving the wafer, a transfer robot, and a controller for controlling the transfer robot. The controller is programmed to control the transfer robot to retrieve a first wafer of the set of semiconductor wafers from the bond treat station and control the transfer robot to deliver the first wafer to the cleave station for processing by the cleave assembly.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal ingot includes growing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt in a crucible within an inner chamber, adding a volatile dopant into a feed tube, positioning the feed tube within an inner chamber at a first height relative to a surface of the melt, adjusting the feed tube within the inner chamber to a second height at a speed rate, and heating the volatile dopant to form a gaseous dopant as the feed tube is moved from the first height to the second height at the speed rate. Each of the second height and the speed rate are selected to control a vaporization rate of the volatile dopant. The method also includes introducing dopant species into the melt while growing the ingot by contacting the surface of the melt with the gaseous dopant.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal ingot includes growing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt in a crucible within an inner chamber, adding a volatile dopant into a feed tube, positioning the feed tube within an inner chamber at a first height relative to a surface of the melt, adjusting the feed tube within the inner chamber to a second height at a speed rate, and heating the volatile dopant to form a gaseous dopant as the feed tube is moved from the first height to the second height at the speed rate. Each of the second height and the speed rate are selected to control a vaporization rate of the volatile dopant. The method also includes introducing dopant species into the melt while growing the ingot by contacting the surface of the melt with the gaseous dopant.

Abstract: Methods for producing a single crystal silicon ingot are disclosed. The ingot is doped with boron using solid-phase boric acid as the source of boron. Boric acid may be used to counter-dope the ingot during ingot growth. Ingot puller apparatus that use a solid-phase dopant are also disclosed. The solid-phase dopant may be disposed in a receptacle that is moved closer to the surface of the melt or a vaporization unit may be used to produce a dopant gas from the solid-phase dopant.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal ingot includes growing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt in a crucible within an inner chamber, adding a volatile dopant into a feed tube, positioning the feed tube within an inner chamber at a first height relative to a surface of the melt, adjusting the feed tube within the inner chamber to a second height at a speed rate, and heating the volatile dopant to form a gaseous dopant as the feed tube is moved from the first height to the second height at the speed rate. Each of the second height and the speed rate are selected to control a vaporization rate of the volatile dopant. The method also includes introducing dopant species into the melt while growing the ingot by contacting the surface of the melt with the gaseous dopant.

Abstract: An ingot puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot includes a housing defining a growth chamber, a crucible positioned within the growth chamber, an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber connected with the growth chamber, and a feed assembly for charging semiconductor material to the crucible. The feed assembly includes a dumper for containing the semiconductor material and moveable in the ingot receiving chamber between a raised position and a lowered position. The dumper includes a bottom and a sidewall releasable from the bottom to allow the semiconductor material to exit the dumper. The feed assembly also includes opening pins selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber. The opening pins engage the dumper when extended into the ingot receiving chamber to release the dumper sidewall from the dumper bottom as the dumper is moved towards the lowered position.

Abstract: Ingot puller apparatus for producing a doped single crystal silicon ingot are disclosed. The ingot puller apparatus includes a dopant feeder having a first dopant receptacle for holding a first batch of dopant and a second dopant receptacle for holding a second batch of dopant. A rotation mechanism rotates the first dopant receptacle to release the first batch of dopant into the crucible and rotates the second dopant receptacle to release the second batch of dopant into the crucible.

Abstract: Ingot puller apparatus for producing a doped single crystal silicon ingot are disclosed. The ingot puller apparatus includes a dopant feeder having a first dopant receptacle for holding a first batch of dopant and a second dopant receptacle for holding a second batch of dopant. A rotation mechanism rotates the first dopant receptacle to release the first batch of dopant into the crucible and rotates the second dopant receptacle to release the second batch of dopant into the crucible.

Abstract: An ingot puller apparatus includes a housing defining a growth chamber and a growth chamber outlet, an isolation valve having a first valve end connected to the growth chamber outlet and a second valve end, an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber and a receiving chamber inlet at a receiving vessel end, a clamp including a clamp base connected to the second valve end, and a controller. The clamp includes a clamping mechanism to releasably connect the receiving vessel end to the clamp base and an actuator to cause movement of the clamping mechanism between a clamping position in which the clamping mechanism connects the receiving vessel end to the clamp base, and a releasing position in which the receiving vessel end is releasable from the clamp base. The controller is connected to the actuator to control movement of the clamping mechanism between the clamping and releasing positions.

Abstract: A method for producing a single crystal silicon ingot includes adding polycrystalline silicon to a crucible disposed within a chamber defined by a housing of an ingot puller apparatus, maintaining the chamber at a first pressure, heating the chamber using radiant heat to melt the polycrystalline silicon and form a silicon melt in the crucible, pulling a single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, channeling a liquid dopant at a second pressure greater than the first pressure into a feed tube positioned in the chamber, vaporizing the liquid dopant into a vaporized dopant by flash evaporation at the first pressure within the feed tube, and directing the vaporized dopant from the feed tube toward a surface of the silicon melt to cause the vaporized dopant to enter the silicon melt as a dopant while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal ingot includes growing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt in a crucible within an inner chamber, adding a volatile dopant into a feed tube, positioning the feed tube within an inner chamber at a first height relative to a surface of the melt, adjusting the feed tube within the inner chamber to a second height at a speed rate, and heating the volatile dopant to form a gaseous dopant as the feed tube is moved from the first height to the second height at the speed rate. Each of the second height and the speed rate are selected to control a vaporization rate of the volatile dopant. The method also includes introducing dopant species into the melt while growing the ingot by contacting the surface of the melt with the gaseous dopant.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal ingot includes growing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt in a crucible within an inner chamber, adding a volatile dopant into a feed tube, positioning the feed tube within an inner chamber at a first height relative to a surface of the melt, adjusting the feed tube within the inner chamber to a second height at a speed rate, and heating the volatile dopant to form a gaseous dopant as the feed tube is moved from the first height to the second height at the speed rate. Each of the second height and the speed rate are selected to control a vaporization rate of the volatile dopant. The method also includes introducing dopant species into the melt while growing the ingot by contacting the surface of the melt with the gaseous dopant.

Abstract: An ingot puller for producing a doped single crystal silicon ingot includes a housing defining a chamber, a crucible disposed within the chamber, and a dopant injector attached to and extending into the housing. The chamber is maintained at a first pressure. The dopant injector includes a reservoir for containing a liquid dopant, a feed tube positioned within the chamber and connected to the reservoir, and a vaporization cup positioned within the feed tube and the chamber.

Abstract: A method for doping a single crystal silicon ingot pulled includes heating a vaporization cup. The method also includes maintaining a pressure of an interior of the housing at a first pressure. The method further includes injecting liquid dopant into the dopant injection tube and the vaporization cup. A pressure of the liquid dopant is maintained at a second pressure greater than the first pressure prior to injection into the dopant injection tube and the vaporization cup. The method also includes vaporizing the liquid dopant into vaporized dopant within the housing. The liquid dopant is vaporized by flash evaporation by heating the liquid dopant with the vaporization cup and reducing the pressure of the liquid dopant from the second pressure to the first pressure by injecting the liquid dopant into the housing. The method further includes channeling the vaporized dopant into the housing using the dopant injection tube.

Abstract: An ingot puller apparatus for producing a doped single crystal silicon ingot includes a housing defining a chamber, a crucible disposed within the chamber, and a dopant injector extending into the housing. The dopant injector includes a delivery module attached to and extending through the housing into the chamber. The delivery module includes a dopant injection tube positioned within the chamber and a vaporization cup positioned within the dopant injection tube and the chamber. The second valve selectively channels the liquid dopant into the vaporization cup and the vaporization cup vaporizes the liquid dopant into a vaporized dopant.

Abstract: An ingot puller apparatus for producing a doped single crystal silicon ingot includes a housing defining a chamber, a crucible disposed within the chamber, and a dopant injector extending into the housing. The dopant injector includes a delivery module attached to and extending through the housing into the chamber. The delivery module includes a dopant injection tube positioned within the chamber and a vaporization cup positioned within the dopant injection tube and the chamber. The second valve selectively channels the liquid dopant into the vaporization cup and the vaporization cup vaporizes the liquid dopant into a vaporized dopant.

Abstract: A method for doping a single crystal silicon ingot pulled includes heating a vaporization cup. The method also includes maintaining a pressure of an interior of the housing at a first pressure. The method further includes injecting liquid dopant into the dopant injection tube and the vaporization cup. A pressure of the liquid dopant is maintained at a second pressure greater than the first pressure prior to injection into the dopant injection tube and the vaporization cup. The method also includes vaporizing the liquid dopant into vaporized dopant within the housing. The liquid dopant is vaporized by flash evaporation by heating the liquid dopant with the vaporization cup and reducing the pressure of the liquid dopant from the second pressure to the first pressure by injecting the liquid dopant into the housing. The method further includes channeling the vaporized dopant into the housing using the dopant injection tube.