Method for recycling/reclaiming a monitor wafer

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for recycling/reclaiming a monitor wafer and a method for testing a manufacturing process. The method for recycling/reclaiming the monitor wafer, among other steps, includes providing a monitor wafer having a number of front surface defects thereon ( 110 ), and annealing the monitor wafer in a presence of an inert gas to correct one or more of the number of front surface defects ( 150 ).

1 . A method for recycling/reclaiming a monitor wafer, comprising: 
 providing a monitor wafer having a number of front surface defects thereon;    annealing the monitor wafer in a presence of an inert gas to correct one or more of the number of front surface defects.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further including removing any integrated circuit films located on the monitor wafer prior to annealing the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein removing any integrated circuit films includes chemically etching the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein removing any integrated circuit films includes polishing the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein removing any integrated circuit films includes chemically etching and polishing the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein providing a monitor wafer includes providing a monitor wafer produced by a Czochralski method.  
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the monitor wafer provided has more than about 500 crystal oriented front surface defects of about 0.09 microns or larger, and wherein the annealed monitor wafer has less than about 100 crystal oriented front surface defects of 0.09 microns or larger.  
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein annealing the monitor wafer includes annealing the monitor wafer using a rapid thermal anneal or furnace anneal process.  
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein annealing the monitor wafer includes annealing the monitor wafer using a temperature of greater than about 1000° C. for a time ranging from about 10 minutes to about 120 minutes for a standard thermal process or a time ranging from about 15 seconds to about 240 seconds for a rapid thermal anneal process.  
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inert gas comprises deuterium.  
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inert gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, argon, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the front surface defects are crystal originated pits caused by the formation or testing of one or more integrated circuit films on the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further including polishing the monitor wafer after annealing it.  
     
     
         14 . A method for testing a manufacturing process, comprising: 
 providing a monitor wafer;    forming one or more integrated circuit films on the monitor wafer and testing the one or more integrated circuit films, the process of forming or testing the one or more integrated circuit films on the monitor wafer causing the monitor wafer to have a number of front surface defects thereon;    annealing the monitor wafer in a presence of an inert gas to correct one or more of the number of front surface defects, and thereby recycling/reclaiming the monitor wafer.    
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  further including removing the one or more integrated circuit films located on the monitor wafer prior to annealing the monitor wafer.  
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein providing a monitor wafer includes providing a monitor wafer produced by a Czochralski method.  
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein the monitor wafer provided has more than about 500 crystal oriented front surface defects of about 0.09 microns or larger, and wherein the annealed monitor wafer has less than about 100 crystal oriented front surface defects of 0.09 microns or larger.  
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein annealing the monitor wafer includes annealing the monitor wafer using a temperature of greater than about 1000° C. for a time ranging from about 10 minutes to about 120 minutes for a standard thermal process or a time ranging from about 15 seconds to about 240 seconds for a rapid thermal anneal process.  
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein the inert gas comprises deuterium.  
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 14  further including forming one or more integrated circuit films on the monitor wafer and then annealing the monitor wafer, up to about 50 times before discarding the monitor wafer.