Method for determining the shape of a wafer made of semiconductor material and method for producing wafers made of semiconductor material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the shape of a wafer made of semiconductor material, comprising the following steps: (A) providing a device for measuring a profile of a wafer made of semiconductor material, comprising a plurality of support elements for horizontally supporting a wafer and comprising at least one measuring system, (B) placing a wafer made of semiconductor material onto the plurality of support elements such that the wafer made of semiconductor material is arranged horizontally; (C) measuring a profile of the horizontally arranged wafer made of semiconductor material along at least one section in the radial direction by means of the at least one measuring system; and (D) correcting the measured profile by the deflection caused by gravity using a correction function; characterised in that the correction function depends at least on the following parameters (i) to (iv): (i) crystal orientation of the main surfaces of the wafer made of semiconductor material, (ii) thickness of the wafer made of semiconductor material, (iii) orientation of the wafer made of semiconductor material, and (iv) at least one parameter specific to the device.

Description

[0001] Methods for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material and methods for manufacturing disks made of semiconductor material.

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material and a method for producing disks made of semiconductor material.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] Semiconductor wafers, for example monocrystalline silicon wafers, are manufactured in a variety of process steps, including drawing a single crystal rod from a melt, sawing the crystal into wafers, grinding, edge rounding, polishing and chemical cleaning of the wafers.

[0006] In these processes, measuring the shape of the disks plays a crucial role in process monitoring and control. Especially in horizontal measurement methods, where the disk is positioned horizontally on the measuring device, deflection caused by gravity significantly distorts the measured shape. Therefore, a correction for this gravity-induced deflection is necessary. Some commercially available measuring devices perform such a correction using a fourth-order polynomial, as shown in Fig. 1. However, it has been found that such a correction function cannot adequately compensate for the gravity-induced deflection.

[0007] To ensure that semiconductor wafers meet the global shape requirements for manufacturing modern electronic components, close monitoring and control of the sawing and grinding shaping steps are essential. Monitoring and controlling these process steps, in turn, requires precise determination of the wafer shape. This is particularly true for the warp, determined by distance measurement, whose value is strongly influenced by gravity-induced deflection. Therefore, improving the accuracy of shape determination for semiconductor wafers, especially the warp, is a key aspect of process control and optimization in the semiconductor wafer manufacturing chain.In a distance measurement, the axial distance of the surface on the front of the disk to a first sensor and the axial distance of the surface on the back to a second sensor are determined as a function of the radial position. From the distance measurement, a profile in the radial direction, preferably a thickness profile and / or a warp curve, can then be derived.

[0008] Technical problem of the invention and its solution

[0009] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material that enables a more accurate determination of the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material, in particular a more accurate determination of the warp curve.

[0010] According to the first aspect, the present invention solves the problem by providing a method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material, comprising the following steps:

[0011] (A) Providing a device for measuring the profile of a disk made of semiconductor material, comprising several support elements for the horizontal support of a disk, and at least one measuring system,

[0012] (B) Placing a disk of semiconductor material onto the multiple support elements so that the disk of semiconductor material is arranged horizontally;

[0013] (C) Measuring a profile of the horizontally arranged disk made of semiconductor material along at least one distance in the radial direction using the at least one measuring system; and

[0014] (D) Correcting the measured profile for the deflection caused by gravity using a correction function.

[0015] The method is characterized in that the correction function depends at least on the following parameters (i) to (iv): (i) crystal orientation of the main surfaces of the semiconductor material disk, (ii) thickness of the semiconductor material disk, (iii) orientation of the semiconductor material disk on the device, and (iv) at least one device-specific parameter.

[0016] The method according to the invention makes it possible to examine semiconductor wafers in a horizontal arrangement and to determine their shape with high accuracy. In the method according to the invention, the correction of the deflection caused by gravity is improved by taking into account structural properties of the wafer, such as its thickness, the crystal orientation of the main surfaces, the arrangement of the wafer on the device for measuring the profile, and device-specific parameters. This increases the accuracy and significantly reduces the distortion of the warp or warp curve of a wafer measured in a horizontal arrangement caused by the influence of gravity, without requiring a measurement in a vertical arrangement or multiple measurements of a single wafer.

[0017] In the second aspect, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing disks from semiconductor material, which comprises the following steps:

[0018] (i) Providing a single crystal rod made of semiconductor material;

[0019] (ii) Grinding the single crystal rod;

[0020] (iii) Cutting slices from the polished single crystal rod;

[0021] (iv) Grinding and / or lapping of the separated discs;

[0022] (v) Polishing the discs; and

[0023] (vi) chemical cleaning of the discs, wherein the method according to the first aspect is used to monitor and control step (iii) and / or step (iv).

[0024] Brief description of the characters

[0025] Fig. 1 shows corrected profile curves (warp curves) of single-crystal silicon wafers with a diameter of 300 mm, where the correction was performed using a 4th-degree polynomial. Fig. 2 shows corrected profile curves (warp curves) of single-crystal silicon wafers with a diameter of 300 mm and thicknesses from 775 pm to 915 pm, which were corrected using the method according to the invention.

[0026] Fig. 3 shows a top view of a disk with a <100> -Orientation and a D-notch as an orientation notch. The lines along which the profile can be measured have an angle of 45° (solid line) and 90° (dashed line) to the orientation notch.

[0027] Detailed description of the invention

[0028] Preferably, the semiconductor material wafer is a wafer made of single-crystal silicon. The semiconductor material wafer may also have one or more epitaxial layers, for example, made of single-crystal silicon, silicon and germanium, or gallium nitride. The semiconductor material wafer preferably has a diameter of not less than 190 mm and not more than 460 mm, more preferably a diameter of not less than 190 mm and not more than 310 mm, and particularly preferably a diameter of not less than 300 mm and not more than 310 mm. The semiconductor material wafer preferably has a thickness of not less than 650 pm and not more than 1200 pm, more preferably not less than 750 pm and not more than 950 pm.

[0029] Preferably, the shape of the disk made of semiconductor material is determined by means of a distance measurement, particularly preferably by determining the warp curve of the disk.

[0030] The term "warp" of a disk refers to the sum of the magnitudes of the largest distances that a reference plane has above and below a median surface of the relaxed disk, where the reference plane is a best-fit plane to the median surface. The measurement of the warp is described in the standard SEMI MF 1390-0218. The warp curve (linear shape scan) corresponds to the one-dimensional profile obtained by considering the difference between the median curve of the median surface and the reference line of the reference plane along the diameter, preferably in the cutting direction or deviating from it by up to a few degrees if the influence of an orientation notch is to be avoided.

[0031] The influence of gravity on the warp curve can be taken into account by vertically orienting the disk during measurement or by a correction when calculating the difference. The warp curves can be filtered or subjected to another mathematical operation, provided that the resulting changes cancel each other out in the difference calculation of warp curves according to the invention.

[0032] In step (A) of the method according to the invention, a device for measuring the profile of a semiconductor disk is provided, comprising several support elements for the horizontal support of the disk, and at least one measuring system. The measuring system is preferably a capacitive measuring system. The device used in the method according to the invention for measuring the profile of a semiconductor disk is preferably a distance measuring device. Such a device comprises at least two distance sensors arranged such that at least one sensor can measure the distance of the sensor to the surface on the top side of the disk, and at least one further sensor can measure the distance of the further sensor to the surface on the underside of the disk. From these distances, the thickness profile and the warp curve of the disk can be derived.The at least two sensors are preferably arranged collinearly such that the distances of each sensor to the surface on the top of the disk and to the surface on the bottom of the disk can be measured simultaneously at the same radial position on the disk. For example, a measuring device of type MX7012 from the manufacturer E+H Metrology can be used as a device for measuring a profile.

[0033] In this measuring device, the semiconductor disk is arranged horizontally. The disk rests on several support points, preferably at the disk edge. The MX-NT software can be used to evaluate the data obtained with this measuring device. For measuring the profile of a vertically arranged test disk, a WaferSight device from the manufacturer KLA-Tencor can be used. In step (B) of the method according to the invention, a semiconductor disk is placed onto the several support elements so that the semiconductor disk is arranged horizontally. Preferably, the disk rests on the support element only at its edge, the edge area comprising the region of the main surfaces of the disk that is no more than 20 mm, preferably no more than 10 mm, from the disk edge.However, in the horizontal arrangement, a deflection caused by gravity occurs, which results in the shape measured in this arrangement deviating from the actual shape of the disk.

[0034] In step (C), the profile of the horizontally arranged disk made of semiconductor material is measured, preferably by distance measurement, along at least one section in the radial direction using the at least one measuring system. Preferably, the profile is measured over the entire diameter of the disk. Preferably, a distance measurement is performed. From these distances, the thickness profile and the warp curve of the disk can be derived. Particularly preferably, the warp curve is determined according to the standard SEMI MF 1390-0218. The warp curve (linear shape scan) corresponds to the profile obtained by considering the difference between the median curve and the reference line along the diameter.

[0035] In step (D), the measured profile, preferably the warp curve determined in step (C), is then corrected for the deflection caused by gravity using a correction function. The correction function depends on at least the following parameters (i) to (iv): (i) crystal orientation of the main surfaces of the semiconductor material disk, (ii) thickness of the semiconductor material disk, (iii) orientation of the semiconductor material disk on the measuring device, i.e., the measuring instrument, and (iv) at least one parameter specific to the device.

[0036] (i) With regard to the crystal orientation of the principal faces, which influences the deflection, the disk can, for example, be a disk of single-crystal silicon with a <100> -orientation, a <110> -orientation, or a <111 ^orientation, preferably a <100> -Orientation. The symmetry of a disk with a <100> The orientation is evident, for example, from Fig. 3. The terms orientation and crystal orientation are used synonymously in this context. In a {100} crystal orientation, the crystal plane runs with a 'Mi Iler' index of <100> perpendicular to the drawing or growth direction, and thus perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the crystal, or perpendicular to the rotation axis of a disk separated from the crystal. Accordingly, in a {110} crystal orientation, the cylinder axis runs perpendicular to the crystal plane with a Miller index of <110> .The crystal orientation within the meaning of the present invention is also present if the angle between the main surface of the disk and the plane with the desired crystal orientation is no more than 5°.

[0037] (ii) The thickness of the semiconductor material disk also influences its deflection in a horizontal arrangement. The semiconductor material disk preferably has a thickness of not less than 650 pm and not more than 1200 pm, more preferably not less than 750 pm and not more than 950 pm. The thinner the disk, the more pronounced the influence of gravity on the measured shape (see Fig. 2). The semiconductor material disks preferably have a total thickness variation (TTV) of not more than 5 pm, more preferably not more than

[0038] 3 pm, and preferably no more than 1 pm.

[0039] (iii) The orientation of the semiconductor disk on the device also influences the deflection caused by gravity. The orientation of the semiconductor disk on the device is intended to describe the crystal orientation, i.e., the orientation of the various crystal faces, relative to the distance along which the profile is measured. The orientation of the semiconductor disk on the device depends on the rotation of the semiconductor disk about its axis of rotation in the axial direction relative to the device. The orientation / rotation of the disk relative to the device determines the distance in the radial direction along which the profile is measured. The position of the disk is not changed during the measurement.Figure 3 shows that in a disk of single-crystal silicon with a {100} crystal orientation, there are two radially parallel segments to the main surface that form a 45° angle and cross different crystal faces. The gravitational deflection differs along these two segments. In principle, the gravitational deflection also differs for any segment that lies between the two aforementioned segments, since different crystal faces are crossed to varying degrees, both in terms of angle and relative segment length.

[0040] The orientation notch, also called a notch, can be used as a reference point for aligning the semiconductor disk on the device, i.e., as a reference point for rotating the semiconductor disk relative to the device, provided the crystal orientation of the disk's main faces (front and back) is known. The disk's position remains unchanged during measurement. The orientation of the semiconductor disk, with its known crystal orientation of the main faces, can therefore be expressed by an angle, where one leg of the angle corresponds to the distance along which the profile is measured, and the other leg corresponds to the distance from the disk's center to the center of the orientation notch. The position of the orientation notch with respect to the crystal orientation and the crystal faces of the semiconductor disk is known.Therefore, the orientation notch of a semiconductor disk serves as a reference point for positioning the disk on a fixture and thus for the path along which the profile is measured. The position of the support elements relative to the disk's orientation, for example, to the orientation notch, can also be taken into account here.

[0041] Regarding the position of the orientation notch, the disc can, for example, be a disc with a <100> -orientation and a C-notch or D-notch as an orientation notch (see Fig. 3). The disc can also be a <110> -Orientation and an E-notch or F-notch as an orientation notch. The C-notch and D-notch are offset by 45° so that the angles determined relative to the C-notch and D-notch can be converted into each other by adding 45°.

[0042] (iv) Furthermore, the deflection caused by gravity depends on the device used to measure the profile, in particular on the type of measuring instrument, the number, shape, size, and arrangement of the support elements. The influence is preferably determined for each individual measuring instrument. The distance of the support elements from the center of the disc, the spacing between the support elements, and the symmetry of the arrangement of the support elements play a significant role in their arrangement. The spacing between the support elements can correlate with the number of support elements. The stiffness and age of the support elements, or the part of the support elements that is in direct contact with the disc, also influence the deflection caused by gravity. The stiffness depends on aging.For example, plastic O-rings can be used on the support elements, the stiffness of which changes with increasing age.

[0043] Preferably, these influences are taken into account by a single device-specific parameter; however, several device-specific parameters (iv) can also be incorporated into the correction function. Preferably, the at least one device-specific parameter (iv) is determined individually for a given device and for a specific arrangement of the support elements on that device.

[0044] (v) Additionally, the precise composition of the semiconductor material wafer can be taken into account in an additional parameter. Preferably, the semiconductor material is single-crystal silicon. The dopant concentration can also be taken into account.

[0045] The correction of the measured profile, preferably the warp curve determined in step (C), for the deflection caused by gravity, is preferably carried out by subtracting a correction function (F(x)) from the measured profile M(x). This subtraction yields the corrected profile S(x) according to the following formula 1, where x represents the radial position, i.e., the distance from the disk center:

[0046] S(x) = M(x) - F(x) (formula l).

[0047] The correction function can be determined by interpolation or extrapolation starting from experimentally determined control points or sets of control points. A set of control points can be experimentally determined according to steps (a) to (c) as follows. In this method, the disks are measured exclusively in a horizontal arrangement, so no additional measuring device is required.

[0048] (a) First, a first measurement and a second measurement of the profile, preferably the warp curve, of a horizontally arranged test disk with a specific set of parameters (i) and (ii) in a specific arrangement (parameter (iii)) are carried out using a specific device for measuring a profile with a specific arrangement of support elements (parameter (iv)), wherein the disk is turned over between the first and second measurements, so that the profile is measured along at least one radial distance in both measurements.

[0049] (b) The deflection caused by gravity is then determined as a function of the radial position by calculating the average of the first and second measurements, each taken at the same radial positions. To calculate the average, the warp curves determined in the first and second measurements can be added together at each radial position and then divided by 2.

[0050] (c) The deflection caused by gravity, determined in step (b), can then be used as a set of support points. Each support point of the set of support points is defined by a radial position and at least the parameters (i) to (iv). The associated support value is defined by the profile value, preferably the warp curve value, at the corresponding radial position.

[0051] This procedure can be repeated for different test disks or different arrangements of a test disk to obtain multiple sets of support points. Preferably, at least one of the parameters (i) to (iv) is varied in each case.

[0052] Alternatively, the following method can be used to determine a set of support points. In this method, the profile of the disk is determined in both a horizontal and a vertical orientation. Therefore, two different devices must be used to measure the profile. This method comprises steps (a) to (d). First, in step (a), the profile of a horizontally arranged test disk with a specific set of parameters (i) to (iv) is measured using the profile measuring device as described in step (a) of the first method for determining support points.

[0053] Subsequently, in step (b), the profile of the vertically arranged test disc is measured in another profile measuring device. Preferably, a WaferSight device from the manufacturer KLA-Tencor is used as the measuring device.

[0054] In step (c), the profile measured in a vertical orientation is subtracted from the profile measured in a horizontal orientation at the same radial positions to obtain the deflection caused by gravity as a function of the radial position. The deflection caused by gravity is thus obtained in the form of a profile curve.

[0055] In step (d), the deflection caused by gravity, or at least individual points thereof, is used as a set of support points, wherein each support point of the set of support points is defined by a radial position and at least the parameters (i) to (iv), and the associated support value is defined by the profile value at the corresponding radial position.

[0056] For each test disk and arrangement, a set of support points can be obtained using the methods described above. This set of support points can also be described as a function that describes the deflection caused by gravity for a specific set of parameters (i) to (iv) as a function of the radial position. By measuring different test disks with varying parameters (i) to (iv), a space of support points can be established, for example, in the form of a matrix. Through interpolation or extrapolation, a correction function can then be determined from this experimentally established space of support points, describing the deflection caused by gravity as a function of the radial position and the parameters (i) to (iv).The test discs preferably have a total thickness variation (TTV) of no more than 5 pm, preferably no more than 3 pm, and particularly preferably no more than 1 pm. Preferably, the method for determining a set of support points is carried out at least twice, more preferably five times, even more preferably at least ten times, and most preferably at least fifteen times, with at least one of the parameters (i) to (iv) being varied in each iteration. Preferably, each of the parameters (i) to (iii) is varied such that at least two different configurations are determined for each parameter. The at least five sets of support points thus exhibit at least two different configurations for each of the parameters (i) to (iii). Therefore, sets of support points with at least two different (i) crystal orientations, (ii) thicknesses, and (iii) orientations on the measuring instrument are determined.Preferably, at least two sets of support points with different device-specific configurations (parameter(iv)) are also determined.

[0057] Preferably, for a specific device for measuring the profile of a disc, at least 5 test discs, more preferably at least 10 test discs, and most preferably at least 15 test discs are examined. The test discs each differ in at least one of the parameters (i) and (ii).

[0058] Preferably, at least 5 sets of support points, more preferably at least 10 sets of support points, and most preferably at least 15 sets of support points are determined. Subsequently, a correction function can be determined by interpolation and / or extrapolation of the space spanned by the at least 5 sets of support points. The interpolation and / or extrapolation is preferably performed using software. The correction function thus determined can then be applied to the measured profile, preferably the warp curve, of any disk.

[0059] The correction of the measured profile, preferably the warp curve determined in step (C), for the deflection caused by gravity is preferably carried out by subtracting the correction function from the measured profile.

[0060] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing wafers from semiconductor material, the method comprising the following steps: (i) providing a single crystal rod of semiconductor material;

[0061] (ii) Grinding the single crystal rod;

[0062] (iii) Cutting slices from the polished single crystal rod;

[0063] (iv) Grinding and / or lapping of the separated discs;

[0064] (v) Polishing the discs; and

[0065] (vi) chemical cleaning of the discs, characterized in that the method according to the first aspect is used to monitor and control step (iii) and / or step (iv).

[0066] The separation of discs is preferably carried out by cutting lapping or cutting grinding, especially preferably with a wire saw.

[0067] The monitoring and control of the cutting of discs from the ground incrystalline isb can be carried out, for example, as described in EP 4 382 233 A1. Thus, the method according to the first aspect can be used for the control and monitoring of the following method for cutting a plurality of discs from a workpiece using a wire saw, wherein the wire saw comprises a wire frame made of moving wire segments and an adjusting device, and the wire frame is tensioned in a plane between two wire guide rollers. Each of the two wire guide rollers is preferably mounted between a fixed bearing and a floating bearing. The method for cutting a plurality of discs comprises the following steps:

[0068] (1) the feeding of the workpiece by means of the positioning device through the wire gate along a feeding direction perpendicular to a workpiece axis and perpendicular to the plane of the wire gate;

[0069] (2) the supply of a cutting device to the wire gate;

[0070] (3) the supply of a tempering medium to the workpiece;

[0071] (4) Guiding a temperature control fluid through the fixed bearings according to a temperature profile and / or displacing the workpiece along the workpiece axis according to a displacement profile, wherein the temperature profile and the displacement profile are directed opposite to any form deviation; characterized by (i) determining warp curves of at least one slice from the workpiece start and of at least one slice from the workpiece end from at least one previous cutting operation using the wire saw; calculating the difference of the warp curves;

[0072] (ii) adjusting the temperature and / or volumetric velocity of the cutting medium during the cutting process depending on the difference in the warp curves; and

[0073] (iii) adjusting the temperature and / or volumetric velocity of the tempering medium depending on the difference of the warp curves.

[0074] The grinding and / or lapping of a detached disc made of semiconductor material can also be monitored and controlled using the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0075] Detailed description of embodiments and comparative examples according to the invention.

[0076] The warp curve of a disk of single-crystal silicon with a diameter of 300 mm, a thickness of 880 pm and a <100> The orientation of the main surfaces was initially determined by simple measurement on a capacitive measuring device, type MX7012, from the manufacturer E+H Metrology. During the measurement, the disk was therefore positioned horizontally (lying down). The warp curve was then corrected for the deflection caused by gravity by subtracting a previously determined correction function from the warp curve.

[0077] The previously determined correction function represents a profile curve that is subtracted from the warp curve to obtain the corrected warp curve of the disk. The correction function was determined using software by interpolating experimentally determined data points. The warp curves of single-crystal silicon semiconductor disks with a diameter of 300 mm and a <100> The following thicknesses were used as test discs to determine support points: 775 pm, 880 pm, 890 pm, 900 pm, and 910 pm. The placement (orientation) of the test discs on the measuring device was also rotated by 45° in different measurements to account for the influence of the disc's orientation. Two measurements were performed on an MX7012 type instrument, with the discs being flipped between the two measurements.The reference points were then determined by calculating the average of the two warp curves by adding them together and dividing by 2. Based on these reference points, a correction function could be determined through interpolation and extrapolation. The following parameters of the correction function could be fixed to the values ​​of the disk under investigation: a <100> -Crystal orientation; a thickness of 880 pm and an orientation on the measuring instrument of 0°. By setting these parameters, a profile curve of the correction function was obtained.

[0078] The warp curve was then determined in a vertical (standing) orientation using a WaferSight measuring device from the manufacturer KLA-Tencor, so that the influence of gravity on the measured warp curve could be excluded.

[0079] A comparison of the warp curve measured lying down on the MX7012 type instrument and subsequently corrected for deflection caused by gravity with the warp curve measured standing up on the WaferSight type instrument showed only a small, maximum deviation of less than 0.3 pm between the two warp curves.

[0080] However, when the correction of the gravity-induced deflection of the warp curve measured lying on the MX7012 type instrument is carried out with a 4th degree polynomial, as shown in Fig. 1, a significantly larger maximum deviation of several micrometers (pm) to the warp curve measured on a WaferSight type instrument was observed.

[0081] This shows that the inventive method enables a determination of the warp curve and the warp with higher accuracy, since the inventive method provides an improved correction of the deflection caused by gravity.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material, comprising the following steps: (A) Providing a device for measuring the profile of a disk made of semiconductor material, comprising several support elements for the horizontal support of a disk, and at least one measuring system, (B) Placing a disk of semiconductor material onto the multiple support elements so that the disk of semiconductor material is arranged horizontally; (C) Measuring a profile of the horizontally arranged disk made of semiconductor material along at least one distance in the radial direction using the at least one measuring system; and (D) Correcting the measured profile for the deflection caused by gravity by means of a correction function; characterized in that the correction function depends at least on the following parameters (i) to (iv): (i) crystal orientation of the main surfaces of the semiconductor material disk, (ii) thickness of the semiconductor material disk, (iii) orientation of the semiconductor material disk on the device, and (iv) at least one device-specific parameter.

2. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile is determined by a distance measurement.

3. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the warp or a warp curve is determined to determine the shape.

4. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in step (D) the corrected profile S(x) is obtained by subtracting a correction function F(x) from the measured profile M(x) according to the following formula 1, where x indicates the radial position: S(x) = M(x) - F(x) (formula l).

5. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the correction function is determined by interpolation and / or extrapolation starting from experimentally determined support points or sets of support points.

6. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to claim 5, characterized in that a set of support points is determined according to the following method: (a) Performing a first measurement and a second measurement of the profile of a horizontally arranged test disk with a specific set of parameters (i) to (iv) using the profile measuring device, wherein the disk is turned over between the first and second measurements so that the profile of both the front and the back is measured along at least one radial distance in both measurements; (b) Determining the deflection caused by gravity as a function of the radial position by taking the mean of the first and second measurements at the same radial positions; (c) Using the deflection caused by gravity as a set of support points, wherein each support point of the set of support points is defined by a radial position and at least the parameters (i) to (iv), and the associated support value is defined by the profile value at the corresponding radial position.

7. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to claim 5, characterized in that a set of support points is determined according to the following method: (a) Measuring the profile of a horizontally arranged test disc with a specific set of parameters (i) to (iv) using the profile measuring device; (b) Measuring the profile of the vertically arranged test disc in another device for measuring a profile; (c) Subtracting the profile measured in a vertical arrangement from the profile measured in a horizontal arrangement at the same radial positions in order to obtain the deflection caused by gravity as a function of the radial position; (d) Using the deflection caused by gravity as a set of support points, wherein each support point of the set of support points is defined by a radial position and at least the parameters (i) to (iv), and the associated support value is defined by the profile value at the corresponding radial position.

8. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the disk consists of single-crystal silicon and has a diameter of not less than 190 mm and not more than 460 mm.

9. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the main surfaces of the disk made of semiconductor material are <100> - exhibit orientation.

10. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the orientation of the disk made of semiconductor material is expressed by an angle, wherein one leg of the angle corresponds to the distance along which the profile is measured, and the other leg of the angle corresponds to the distance from the center of the disk to the center of the orientation notch.

11. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the at least one parameter (iv) specific to the device is determined individually for the device used and for a specific arrangement of the support elements.

12. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that in step (C) the profile is measured in the radial direction over the entire diameter of the disk.

13. Method for determining the shape of a disk made of semiconductor material according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the measuring system is a capacitive measuring system or an optical measuring system.

14. Method for manufacturing disks from semiconductor material, comprising the following steps: (i) Providing a single crystal rod made of semiconductor material; (ii) Grinding the single crystal rod; (iii) Cutting slices from the polished single crystal rod; (iv) Grinding and / or lapping the separated discs; (v) Polishing the discs; and (vi) chemical cleaning of the discs; characterized in that the method according to one of claims 1 to 13 is used to monitor and control step (iii) and / or step (iv).

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