Patent ID: 8419001
Filing Date: 2013-04-16
Classification: C30B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for preventing cleavage cracking when holding a silicon wafer, the method comprising: providing a silicon wafer having any of {110} planes as a principal surface thereof, the principal surface including first and second wafer edge regions, holding the silicon wafer in the first wafer edge regions, the holding step leaving the second wafer edge regions unsupported, each unsupported second wafer edge region defined by the direction range: 20° to 40°; 140° to 160°; 200° to 220°; and 320° to 340° respectively, in terms of clockwise direction relative to a reference direction as being from the center of the silicon wafer toward <100> in crystal orientation in parallel to the wafer surface, wherein preventing contact with the second wafer edge regions during said holding step prevents cracking along specific planes being susceptible to cleavage cracking.