Wafer Strength by Control of Uniformity of Edge Bulk Micro Defects

A method for processing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

• measuring one or more properties of the semiconductor wafer at a plurality of locations about a periphery of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the one or more properties comprise one or more of an oxygen concentration and a density of bulk micro defects;
• determining a statistical profile associated with one or more properties of the semiconductor wafer at each of the plurality of locations;
• and
• thermally treating the semiconductor wafer when the statistical profile falls within a predetermined range, and rejecting the semiconductor wafer from subsequent processing when the statistical profile deviates from the predetermined range.

A computer program product for providing semiconductor processing control, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising a computer program code for:

• defining a plurality of locations about a periphery of the semiconductor wafer;
• directing a measurement of one or more properties of the semiconductor wafer at each of the plurality of locations, wherein the one or more properties are selected from a group consisting of oxygen concentration and a density of bulk micro defects present at each of the plurality of locations;
• determining a statistical profile associated with the periphery of the semiconductor wafer based on the one or more properties measured at the plurality of locations;
• and
• qualifying the semiconductor wafer for subsequent processing when the statistical profile falls within a predetermined range, and rejecting the semiconductor wafer from subsequent processing when the statistical profile deviates from the predetermined range.