Wafer identification mark
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBrian C. Barker, Raymond J. Bunkofske, John Z. Colt, Jr., Perry G. Hartswick, John W. Lewis, Nancy T. Pascoe
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Abstract
A semiconductor wafer including a plurality of pits in the semiconductor wafer. The pits are arranged in an information-providing pattern and are readable after completion of processing on the wafer.
Claims56
A semiconductor wafer, comprising
- a plurality of pits in the semiconductor wafer, the pits being arranged in a digital information-providing pattern,
- a coating of sapphire or silicon carbide on a surface of each of the plurality of pits,
- said digital information-providing pattern being arranged in a pattern other than a bar code pattern,
- said digital information-providing pattern being arranged and suitably adapted to be readable before, during and after completion of processing on the wafer.
The wafer according to clam 1, wherein the digital information providing-pattern comprises at least one of a binary pattern and an alphanumeric pattern.
A semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a plurality of pits in the semiconductor wafer, the pits being arranged in a digital information-providing pattern,
- said digital information-providing pattern being arranged in a pattern other than a bar code pattern,
- said digital information-providing pattern being arranged and suitably adapted to be readable before, during and after completion of processing on the wafer,
- wherein the plurality of pits comprise pits of a first shape and its of a second shape,
- wherein the pits are arranged in the back surface of the wafer,
- wherein groups of the pits have the shape of at least one of letters and numbers,
- wherein each group of pits includes a machine-readable set of spaces for pits, each space comprising 2 columns each comprising 32 pits.
A method of encoding information on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- converting the information into a digital form,
- said digital form being a form other than a bar code pattern;
- and
- forming pits suitable for being read before, during and after completion of processing on the wafer corresponding to the digital form of the information in the semiconductor wafer,
- wherein said pits are formed before processing of the wafer begins, during wafer processing or after wafer processing is completed,
- wherein said pits are formed during wafer processing to record information about the processing.
The method according to clam 39, further comprising:
- providing the pits with a detectable contrast with respect to surrounding portions of the wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.