Method for producing wafers with rounded corners in the notches used for alignment in the fabrication of semiconductor devices

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer for use in the fabrication of semiconductor devices which includes a circular wafer ( ) of semiconductor material having a perimeter and a notch ( ) having a wall disposed in the wafer and extending to the perimeter which includes a preferably rounded apex ( ) interior of the perimeter and a pair of rounded intersections ( ) between the wall and the perimeter. The notch is formed with a tool ( ) for forming rounded corners in the semiconductor wafer which includes a body of a material having a hardness greater than the semiconductor wafer which has a generally rounded or paraboloidally shaped front portion having a forwardmost tip ( ) portion and a wing portion ( ) extending outwardly from the body and having a taper narrowing in the direction of the forwardmost tip portion. The wing portion can be one or more spaced apart wing members or the wing portion can be a single member which extends completely around the tool axis. The notch is formed by rotating the tool and moving the tool in a direction along a radius of the wafer until the wing portion contacts the wafer and forms a rounded intersection between the notch and the wafer perimeter in the shape of the intersection of the rounded tip portion and the wing of the tool.