Patent ID: 6355577
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: C23C,C30B,H01L

Abstract:
A method for depositing a film on a surface of a semiconductor wafer while preventing formation of defects on the surface of the wafer, the method comprising:(a) selecting a quartz wafer carrier for holding the semiconductor wafer during the depositing of the film, the wafer carrier having quartz rods with fire-polished slots for receiving an edge of the semiconductor wafer, the slots extending into the quartz rods to a slot depth, the slots having surfaces that are fire-polished to a polished depth within the slots; (b) placing the semiconductor wafer into the quartz wafer carrier with the edge of the wafer disposed within the fire-polished slots; (c) loading the wafer carrier and the wafer into a deposition chamber; (d) evacuating air from the deposition chamber; (e) heating the wafer carrier and the wafer to a deposition temperature; (f) adjusting pressure within the deposition chamber to a deposition pressure; (g) introducing process gases to the deposition chamber; and (h) depositing the film on the surface of the wafer and on the wafer carrier by reaction of the process gases, where the fire-polished slots provide increased adhesion of the film to the wafer carrier, thereby preventing spalling of the film on the wafer carrier which cause particles of the film to impact the wafer and introduce defects.