Method of producing semiconductor epitaxial wafer, semiconductor epitaxial wafer, and method of producing solid-state image sensing device

A method of making an epitaxial wafer having a substrate which has a top surface, the method comprising:

• adding a carbon concentration in a localized region of the substrate to achieve a peak carbon concentration in a range of 1×1017 atoms/cm3 to 1×1022 atoms/cm3, such carbon concentration forming a modifying layer which provides a gettering function;
• forming an epitaxial layer on the top surface of the substrate;
• and
• applying a nickel contaminating agent of 1.0×1012 atoms/cm2 to the epitaxial wafer and heating the epitaxial wafer at about 900° C. for 30 minutes, wherein the modifying layer getters nickel of 1×1017 atoms/cm3 or more as measured by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS).

A semiconductor wafer comprising:

• a substrate having a top surface;
• an epitaxial layer on the top surface;
• a carbon concentration in the substrate having a peak carbon concentration that ranges from 1×1019 atoms/cm3 to 1×1021 atoms/cm3 wherein the carbon concentration in a localized region forming a modifying layer that provides a gettering function;
• and
• a nickel concentration in the modifying layer having a peak nickel concentration of 1×1017 atoms/cm3 or more from a gettering capability evaluation, wherein the gettering capability evaluation includes applying a spin coat contamination process on to the semiconductor wafer using a nickel contaminating agent of 1.0×1012 atoms/cm2 and then heating the semiconductor wafer at about 900° C. for 30 minutes and then measuring the nickel concentration using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS).