OREANDA-NEWS. Shvabe Holding was granted a Russian patent for its invention, a method for chemical and mechanical polishing of gallium arsenide wafers.

The invention developed by the specialists from RD&P Center "Orion" JSC, a Shvabe Holding enterprise, belongs to the field of material processing. The method comprises chemical and mechanical processing of gallium arsenide wafers by a rotating polisher with a polishing compound that contains hydrogen peroxide, tartaric acid, ethylene glycol and deinonized water.

"The disadvantages of the alternative processing methods are their two-stage polishing processes and the use of abrasive materials. This results in large time cost, a more complicated processing technology and defects on the product surface. However, our invention eliminates two-stage processing by using a polishing compound containing no abrasives, thus significantly lowering the risk of damage to the surface being processed," explained Nikolay Rakovich, Deputy General Director for R&D and Innovative Development, Shvabe JSC.

Tests showed that all gallium arsenide wafers polished using Shvabe's innovative method had a smooth surface of class 14 purity according to GOST 11141-84, without grooves or oxide film. X-ray examination proved that there was no amorphous layer after processing.

The new method for processing of gallium arsenide wafers can be used to manufacture semiconductor devices, including large-sized area imagers that are used in various thermal vision devices. Currently, the patented invention is used by RD&P Center "Orion" JSC.