A gettering property evaluating method for a wafer includes: a gettering layer forming step of polishing a back surface opposite to a front surface of a semiconductor wafer by use of a polishing wheel to form polishing marks on the back surface and to form a gettering layer inside the semiconductor wafer and beneath the polishing marks; an imaging step of imaging at least a unit region of the back surface formed with the polishing marks by imaging means; a counting step of counting the number of the polishing marks having a width of 10 to 500 nm present in the unit region imaged; and a comparing step of comparing the number of the polishing marks counted by the counting step with a predetermined value to determine whether or not the counted number is not less than the predetermined value.

A method of cleaning and polishing a backside surface of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes placing an abrasive brush, comprising an abrasive tape wound around an outer surface of a brush member of the abrasive brush, on the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes rotating the brush member to polish the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by abrasive grains formed on the abrasive tape and to clean the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by the brush member which is not covered by the abrasive tape.

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a thickness; at least one semiconductor component integrated in the semiconductor substrate; a first metallization at the first side of the semiconductor substrate; and a second metallization at the second side of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has an oxygen concentration along a thickness line of the semiconductor substrate which has a global maximum at a position of 20% to 80% of the thickness relative to the first side. The global maximum is at least 2-times larger than the oxygen concentrations at each of the first side and the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

A method of forming a semiconductor wafer includes generating a stress topography model of a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of desired structures in a desired layout. The method also includes determining a topography and calculating a compensation pattern based upon the topography, wherein the compensation pattern balances wafer topography. The method also includes patterning a semiconductor front side with the plurality of desired microstructures in the desired layout. The method also includes patterning the semiconductor back side with a compensation block mask corresponding to the compensation pattern.

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a first holding part configured to hold a substrate; a second holding part configured to hold the substrate; a sliding member configured to rotate about a vertical axis so that the sliding member slides on a back surface of the substrate; a revolution mechanism configured to revolve the sliding member under rotation about a vertical revolution axis; and a relative movement mechanism configured to horizontally move a relative position between the substrate and a revolution trajectory of the sliding member so that when the substrate is held by the first holding part, the sliding member slides on a central portion of the back surface of the substrate, and when the substrate is held by the second holding part, the sliding member slides on the peripheral portion of the back surface of the substrate under rotation.

A wafer polishing apparatus is described herein. The wafer polishing apparatus includes a polish module configured to apply air pressure to a first surface of a wafer while performing a polishing process on a second surface of the wafer. In some implementations, the polish module is further configured to perform a cleaning process and/or a drying process on the second surface of the wafer, such that the same wafer polishing apparatus is configured to perform the polishing process, the cleaning process, and/or the drying process. In some implementations, the polishing module is further configured to air seal edges of the wafer during the polishing process, the cleaning process, and/or the drying process.

A method of cleaning and polishing a backside surface of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes placing an abrasive brush, comprising an abrasive tape wound around an outer surface of a brush member of the abrasive brush, on the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes rotating the brush member to polish the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by abrasive grains formed on the abrasive tape and to clean the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by the brush member which is not covered by the abrasive tape.

An object is to provide a SiC wafer in which a detection rate of an optical sensor can improved and a SiC wafer manufacturing method. The method includes: a satin finishing process S141 of satin-finishing at least a back surface 22 of a SiC wafer 20; an etching process 21 of etching at least the back surface 22 of the SiC wafer 20 by heating under Si vapor pressure after the satin finishing process S141; and a mirror surface processing process S31 of mirror-processing a main surface 21 of the SiC wafer 20 after the etching process S21. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a SiC wafer having the mirror-finished main surface 21 and the satin-finished back surface 22.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first semiconductor region at a front surface of a substrate, the first semiconductor region including an active element that regulates current flowing in a thickness direction of the substrate; grinding a rear surface of the substrate; after the grinding, performing a first etching that etches the rear surface of the substrate with a chemical solution including phosphorus; after the first etching, performing a second etching that etches the rear surface with an etching method with a lower etching rate than the first etching; and after the second etching, forming a second semiconductor region through which the current is to flow, by implanting impurities from the rear surface of the substrate.

A method of forming a semiconductor wafer includes generating a stress topography model of a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of desired structures in a desired layout. The method also includes determining a topography and calculating a compensation pattern based upon the topography, wherein the compensation pattern balances wafer topography. The method also includes patterning a semiconductor front side with the plurality of desired microstructures in the desired layout. The method also includes patterning the semiconductor back side with a compensation block mask corresponding to the compensation pattern.