ASTM F950-02

Standard Test Method for Measuring the Depth of Crystal Damage of a Mechanically Worked Silicon Slice Surface by Angle Polishing and Defect Etching (Withdrawn 2003)

SCOPE
This standard was transferred to SEMI (www.semi.org) May 2003
1.1 This test method describes a technique to measure the depth of damage, on or beneath the surface of silicon wafers prior to any heat treatment of the wafer. Such damage results from mechanical surface treatments such as sawing, lapping, grinding, sandblasting, and shot peening.
1.2 The principal application of this test method is for determining the depth of damage of the non-polished back surface that has had intentionally added work damage.
1.3 The measurement is destructive since a specimen is prepared from a section of a silicon wafer.
1.4 Depth of damage can be measured in the range of 5.0 to 200 m using this method.
1.5 This test method is intended for use in process control where each individual location is resposible to determine the internal repeatability to its satisfaction.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific warnings and hazard statements are given in and Section 9.

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 09-Dec-2002
• Withdrawal Date: 09-May-2003
• ICS: 29.045 - Semiconducting materials
• Technical Committee: F01 - Electronics

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F950-98 - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Depth of Crystal Damage of a Mechanically Worked Silicon Slice Surface by Angle Polishing and Defect Etching
• Effective Date: 10-Dec-2002

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: F 950 – 02
Standard Test Method for
Measuring the Depth of Crystal Damage of a Mechanically
Worked Silicon Slice Surface by Angle Polishing and Defect
1
Etching
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 950; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope F 672 Test Method for Measuring Resistivity Profiles Per-
pendicular to the Surface of a Silicon Wafer Using a
1.1 This test method describes a technique to measure the
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Spreading Resistance Probe
depth of damage, on or beneath the surface of silicon wafers
2.2 SEMI Standard:
prior to any heat treatment of the wafer. Such damage results
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C28 Specifications and Guidelines for Hydrofluoric Acid
from mechanical surface treatments such as sawing, lapping,
grinding, sandblasting, and shot peening.
3. Terminology
1.2 The principal application of this test method is for
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
determining the depth of damage of the non-polished back
3.1.1 damage—a defect of the crystal lattice of a single
surface that has had intentionally added work damage.
crystal silicon specimen in the form of irreversible deforma-
1.3 The measurement is destructive since a specimen is
tion. The damage is the result of mechanical surface treatments
prepared from a section of a silicon wafer.
such as sawing, lapping, grinding, sandblasting, and shot
1.4 Depth of damage can be measured in the range of 5.0 to
peening at room temperature without subsequent heat treat-
200 μm using this method.
ments.
1.5 This test method is intended for use in process control
3.1.2 damage-free polishing—a method of preparing a sur-
where each individual location is resposible to determine the
face of a silicon specimen without creating any mechanical
internal repeatability to its satisfaction.
damage detectable by this method.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.3 bevel angle (a)—the smaller of the angles between the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
wafer surface and the section plane. (See Fig. 1.)
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.4 damage depth (T )—the maximum thickness of the
z
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
damage region. The damage is revealed by a preferential etch
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific warnings
that removes silicon in the region of the deformation. Prefer-
and hazard statements are given in 8.6 and Section 9.
ential etching occurs because the chemical potential in the
2. Referenced Documents region of the deformation is changed by the stress fields
associated with the deformation. The depth of damage is
2.1 ASTM Standards:
expressed in micrometers.
D 5127 Guide for Ultra Pure Water Used in the Electronics
2
and Semiconductor Industry
4. Summary of Test Method
E 122 Practice for Choice of Sample Size to Estimate a
3 4.1 A silicon specimen is coated with silicon nitride by a
Measure of Quality for a Lot or Process
low-pressure plasma method to a minimum thickness of 1 μm.
F 532 Test Methods for Measuring Width of Defects in
The specimen is then beveled at a small angle by a polishing
Optical Surfaces, Using Nomarski Differential Micros-
4 technique that produces no additional mechanical damage. The
copy
bevel angle is measured. The beveled specimen is etched to
reveal the damage. The length of the damage region is
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F01 on measured from the beveled edge on the beveled section. The
Electronics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F01.06 on Silicon
Materials and Process Control.
Current edition approved Dec. 10, 2002. Published February 2003. Originally
approved in 1985. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as F 950 – 98.
2 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 10.05.
3 6
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. Available from the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International,
4
Discontinued; see 1993 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01. 3081 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134 (www.semi.org).
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F 950–02
NOTE 1—A 1-μm thick LPCVD nitride film is deposited on the specimen surface prior to beveling.
FIG. 1 Bevel Polis
...