Virginia Semiconductor, Inc.

Thomas G Digges, Jr

Richard H Deitch

Stephen H Jones

Kenneth Farmer

Marshall P Toombs

Grant H Ancarrow

Anderson D McGregor

Christopher Mark Mann

N Perry Cook

A semiconductor wafer manufactured with a precise crystallographic-orientation alignment mark and a method of manufacturing. The method of manufacturing may include forcibly directing a carrier medium containing an abrasive material through a stencil to effect abrasive impact removal of a semiconductor surface in a defined machining area. The abrasive impact removal may be part of an automated machining process.

Precise crystallographic-orientation alignment mark for a semiconductor wafer

A method for forming a solid solution alloy crystal includes forming a solid solution alloy crystal having at least the same diameter as a seed crystal. The seed crystal is exposed to a liquid containing a desired concentration of an alloying element to dissolve a portion of the seed crystal. The solid solution alloy crystal is then formed from the liquid. The method allows a large diameter solid solution alloy crystal to be grown in a reduced time or a larger diameter solid solution alloy crystal to be grown in a known fixed total process time.

Method for forming a solid solution alloy crystal

A new ingot of a desired orientation formed from an original ingot of a different orientation by cutting the new ingot from within the original ingot. In one aspect, to form a &lt;110&gt; ingot from a &lt;100&gt; ingot, a {110} flat is formed on the &lt;100&gt; ingot. The flat is used as a reference for cutting the &lt;100&gt; ingot. The &lt;100&gt; ingot is cut into sections by cutting in a plane perpendicular to the &lt;100&gt; ingot's longitudinal axis and to the flat. A &lt;110&gt; ingot can be formed by grinding a section of the &lt;100&gt; ingot to form a new cylinder. The new cylinder has a longitudinal axis which is perpendicular to the &lt;100&gt; ingot's longitudinal axis and to the flat. The resulting cylinder is a &lt;110&gt; ingot.

Converting &lt;100&gt; and &lt;111&gt; ingots to &lt;110&gt; ingots

A wafer polishing apparatus includes one or more wafer carriers each containing one or more wafers mounted on both sides of the carrier. Upper and lower turntables having upper and lower polishing surfaces, rotate to polish the wafers attached to the carriers. Hence, wafers on the top of the carriers, and wafers on the bottom of the carriers are polished simultaneously. This configuration increases throughput; also, thermal deformations in the wafers are reduced, thus improving flatness.

Flatness and throughput of single side polishing of wafers

A technique of bonding a thin wafer layer to a substrate. The wafer is blown dry using an inert gas to prevent it from being damaged, while still ensuring that it dries completely. The initial bonding is done by orienting crystallographic axes, and then allowing the wafers to adhere to one another slowly. The contact wave is prevented from spreading, by a divider between the two wafers. The wafers are allowed to adhere to one another slowly to form a bond. The bond is strengthened by annealing.

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Fredericksburg, VA, United States of America

Thomas G Digges, Jr