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US 6,554,687 B1Granted
Precise crystallographic-orientation alignment mark for a semiconductor wafer
AssigneeVirginia Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsStephen H. Jones, Thomas G. Digges, Jr., Christopher Mark Mann, Grant H. Ancarrow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor wafer manufactured with a precise crystallographic-orientation alignment mark and a method of manufacturing. The method of manufacturing may include forcibly directing a carrier medium containing an abrasive material through a stencil to effect abrasive impact removal of a semiconductor surface in a defined machining area. The abrasive impact removal may be part of an automated machining process.
Claims20
A method of marking a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:
- identifying a crystallographic orientation of a semiconductor wafer;
- aligning the semiconductor wafer with respect to a stencil;
- and
- forcibly directing a carrier medium including an abrasive material through the stencil to create a crystallographic-orientation alignment mark on the semiconductor wafer in a shape corresponding to a design in the stencil.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:
- cutting a crystal ingot comprising a semiconductor material into thin wafers;
- identifying a crystallographic orientation of one or more semiconductor wafers from the thin wafers;
- and
- adding a crystallographic-orientation alignment mark to each of the semiconductor wafers before distribution of the semiconductor wafers to integrated circuit manufacturers,
- wherein said adding a crystallographic-orientation alignment mark comprises:
- aligning the semiconductor wafer with respect to a stencil, and
- forcibly directing a carrier medium including an abrasive material through the stencil to create the crystallographic-orientation alignment mark on the semiconductor wafer in a shape corresponding to a design in the stencil.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.