Semiconductor processing method for processing discrete pieces of substrate to form electronic devices
AssigneeImec Vzw
InventorsMarc Meuris, Marc Heyns, Paul Mertens
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Abstract
A semiconductor processing system for the production of semiconductor electronic devices is described, which includes a sequence of semiconductor processing steps carried out on a plurality of semiconductor processing machines, whereby the processing is carried out on discrete pieces of substrate which are smaller than conventional semiconductor wafers but may be made therefrom, or from larger diameter semiconducting wafers or from materials onto which semiconductor layers may be formed, and the discrete substrate pieces are selectably processable into the electronic devices either individually or as a plurality removably fixed to a support.
Claims14
A method for producing a plurality of integrated circuits each including an active device, comprising:
- providing a plurality of semiconductor substrate pieces with predetermined dimensions;
- separably fixing the plurality of substrate pieces on a support made of a material selected so as not to contaminate the plurality of substrate parts during the production process;
- and
- subjecting the plurality of substrate parts on the support to at least one process step of a sequence of process steps for producing the integrated circuits, the at least one process step comprising a thermal treatment step at a temperature of 450° C. or above.
The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one processing step affects the internal structure of the active devices.
The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one process is one of:
- CVD deposition of dielectrics, annealing after implant of doping, epitaxy deposition of layers, silicidation, oxidation, nitridation. The relevant contamination may include organic or inorganic contamination in the form of any of particle contamination, gaseous contamination or solid contact contamination (diffusion contamination from contact with solids such as metals).
The method according to claim 5, wherein each substrate part is part of a semiconductor wafer as grown or thinned.
The method according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined dimensions of the substrate parts are determined by the field of view of lithography tools used in the sequence of processing steps.
The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
- depositing a layer on the support and the substrate parts.
The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
- removing the deposited layer from a portion of the surface of the substrate parts.
The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
- removably bonding the parts of the substrate to the support by melting portions of the borders of the substrate parts.
The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
- removably bonding the parts of the substrate to the support using an adhesive or a cement.
A support for holding a plurality of discrete substrate parts to be processed into integrated circuits, comprising:
- a plurality of locations on the support, each for one discrete substrate part;
- and means holding each substrate part at each location such that the surface of the substrate part projects from the surface of the support by a distance within a predetermined range, the holding means and the support being thermally and chemically compatible with the substrate parts and with at least one processing step for manufacture of the integrated circuits, the at least one process step comprising a thermal treatment step at a temperature of 450° C. or above in which diffusion contamination is a critical factor with respect to the quality of the integrated circuits produced.
The support according to claim 16, wherein the locations are receiving spaces.
The support according to claim 16 in which the quality of locations are arranged to hold the substrate parts in a planar array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.