Roland R Vandamme

US Patent:

7416962, Aug 26, 2008

Filed:

Aug 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/233117

Inventors:

Wesley Harrison - Portland OR, US
Roland Vandamme - Portland OR, US
David Gore - Portland OR, US

Assignee:

Siltronic Corporation - Portland OR

International Classification:

H01L 21/30

US Classification:

438459, 438690, 438693

Abstract:

A method is provided for processing the back side of a semiconductor wafer after the wafer has been lapped. The process includes grinding the back side of the wafer to remove wafer material, to substantially eliminate lap damage from the back side of the wafer. The back side of the wafer may then be cleaned, etched, and polished, after which the front side of the wafer is polished. The back side grinding may be accomplished after the lapping without any other step of substantial removal of wafer material. The polishing of the back side of the wafer may be performed with a CMP machine and may produce a specular surface, visually free of damage under haze lamp inspection, with removal of about 0. 5 microns of wafer material. After polishing the front side of the wafer, an epitaxial layer may be produced on the front side of the wafer.

US Patent:

7559825, Jul 14, 2009

Filed:

Dec 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/614129

Inventors:

Henry Frank Erk - St. Louis MO, US
Judith Ann Schmit - St. Peters MO, US
Roland Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

B24B 1/00

US Classification:

451 36, 451 41, 451 60, 451285, 451286, 451287, 451289, 451446

Abstract:

Semiconductor wafers have a front surface, a back surface, a notch, and an edge. A method of polishing a wafer includes polishing at least one of the surfaces and the notch of the wafer using a polishing pad and slurry. At least one surface of the wafer is cleaned of residual slurry. The cleaned surface is grasped by applying a vacuum to the cleaned surface of the wafer using a vacuum chuck. Edge of the wafer is polished using a pad and slurry while the wafer is grasped by the vacuum chuck.

US Patent:

7601049, Oct 13, 2009

Filed:

Dec 28, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/617433

Inventors:

Sumeet S. Bhagavat - St. Louis MO, US
Milind S. Bhagavat - Medford MA, US
Roland R. Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US
Tomomi Komura - Tochigi, JP

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

B24B 49/00

US Classification:

451 9, 451 10, 451 11, 451 41, 451 54, 451261, 451269, 451287

Abstract:

A double side grinder comprises a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads operable to hold a flat workpiece (e. g. , semiconductor wafer) so that part of the workpiece is positioned between the grinding wheels and part of the workpiece is positioned between the hydrostatic pads. At least one sensor measures a distance between the workpiece and the respective sensor for assessing nanotopology of the workpiece. In a method of the invention, a distance to the workpiece is measured during grinding and used to assess nanotopology of the workpiece. For instance, a finite element structural analysis of the workpiece can be performed using sensor data to derive at least one boundary condition. The nanotopology assessment can begin before the workpiece is removed from the grinder, providing rapid nanotopology feedback. A spatial filter can be used to predict the likely nanotopology of the workpiece after further processing.

US Patent:

7878883, Feb 1, 2011

Filed:

Jan 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/621920

Inventors:

Puneet Gupta - St. Peters MO, US
Milind S. Kulkarni - St. Louis MO, US
Carlo Zavattari - Novara, IT
Roland R. Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US

Assignee:

MEMC Electronics Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

B24B 49/00
B28D 1/08

US Classification:

451 7, 451 53, 451 60, 451304, 125 1602, 125 21

Abstract:

A system and method for slicing an ingot into wafers using the wire saw process. A slurry collection system collects and supplies slurry to a slurry handling system for controlling temperatures and/or flow rates of the slurry thereby providing slurry output at a controlled temperature and/or a controlled flow rate to slicing system for cutting the ingot, which may be preheated.

US Patent:

7927185, Apr 19, 2011

Filed:

Dec 7, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/631929

Inventors:

Roland R. Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US
Milind S. Bhagavat - Medford MA, US

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

B24B 49/00

US Classification:

451 9, 451 10, 451 11, 451 41, 451 54, 451 63

Abstract:

A method of processing a semiconductor wafer using a double side grinder of the type that holds the wafer in a plane with a pair of grinding wheels and a pair of hydrostatic pads. The method includes measuring a distance between the wafer and at least one sensor and determining wafer nanotopology using the measured distance. The determining includes using a processor to perform a finite element structural analysis of the wafer based on the measured distance.

US Patent:

7930058, Apr 19, 2011

Filed:

Dec 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/967743

Inventors:

Sumeet S. Bhagavat - Creve Coever MO, US
Roland R. Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US
Tomomi Komura - Utsunomiya, JP
Tomohiko Kaneko - Shimotsuke, JP
Takuto Kazama - Utsunomiya, JP

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

G05B 13/02
G06F 19/00
B24B 49/00
B24B 51/00
B24B 7/00
B24B 9/00
B24B 5/00
B24B 29/00

US Classification:

700164, 700 32, 700 33, 700 44, 700 45, 700108, 700109, 700110, 700117, 700118, 700119, 700120, 700121, 451 1, 451 5, 451 8, 451 9, 451 11, 451262, 451264, 451265, 451269

Abstract:

Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter.

US Patent:

8066553, Nov 29, 2011

Filed:

Jan 20, 2005

Appl. No.:

10/598851

Inventors:

Milind S. Bhagavat - Medford MA, US
Puneet Gupta - Secaucus NJ, US
Roland Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US
Takuto Kazama - Tochigi Prefecture, JP
Noriyuki Tachi - Tochigi Prefecture, JP

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

B24B 41/06

US Classification:

451364, 451365, 451261, 451262, 451267, 451282

Abstract:

A hydrostatic pad for use in holding a semiconductor wafer during grinding of the wafer by grinding wheels. The pad includes hydrostatic pockets formed in a face of the body directly opposed to the wafer. The pockets are adapted for receiving fluid through the body and into the pockets to provide a barrier between the body face and the workpiece while still applying pressure to hold the workpiece during grinding. The hydrostatic pads allow the wafer to rotate relative to the pads about their common axis. The pockets are oriented to reduce hydrostatic bending moments that are produced in the wafer when the grinding wheels shift or tilt relative to the hydrostatic pads, helping prevent nanotopology degradation of surfaces of the wafer commonly caused by shift and tilt of the grinding wheels.

US Patent:

8145342, Mar 27, 2012

Filed:

Sep 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/891357

Inventors:

Sumeet S. Bhagavat - Creve Coeur MO, US
Roland R. Vandamme - Wentzville MO, US
Tomomi Komura - Utsunomiya, JP
Tomhiko Kaneko - Ageo, JP
Takuto Kazama - Utsunomiya, JP

Assignee:

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. - St. Peters MO

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
G03C 5/00
G03F 7/00
H01L 21/302
H01L 21/461
B24B 49/00
B24B 51/00
B24B 1/00
B24B 7/00
B24B 9/00
B24B 29/00
B24B 5/00

US Classification:

700121, 451 8, 451 9, 451 10, 451 11, 451 41, 451 54, 451261, 451262, 451268, 451269, 451287, 430 30, 430311, 438691, 438745, 438747

Abstract:

Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter.