Silicon handler with laser-release layers

A method for handling a wafer, comprising:

• bonding a handler to a wafer using a bonding layer that comprises a debonding layer, an optical enhancement layer, an optical boundary layer, and an anti-reflection layer;
• positioning the handler;
• and
• debonding the handler from the wafer using a laser that emits laser energy at a wavelength that is absorbed by the debonding layer, that is confined to the debonding layer by the optical enhancement layer, and that is reflected back to the debonding layer by the optical boundary layer, such that the material of the debonding layer ablates when exposed to the laser energy to release the wafer.

A handler wafer, comprising:

• a handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at a wavelength of light;
• a bonding layer that includes:
• a debonding layer that absorbs the wavelength of light, being formed from a material that has a real index of refraction greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at the wavelength;
• an optical enhancement layer being formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength and that has an index of refraction greater than 2.0, to confine an energy at the wavelength of light to the debonding layer;
• and
• an optical boundary layer positioned on an opposite side of the debonding layer from the handler layer that reflects the energy at the wavelength of light back to the debonding layer.

A handler wafer, comprising:

• a handler layer formed from a material that is transparent at a wavelength of light;
• a bonding layer that includes:
• a debonding layer that absorbs the wavelength of light, being formed from a material that has a real index of refraction greater than 3.0 and an extinction coefficient greater than 5.0 at the wavelength;
• an optical enhancement layer being formed from a material that is transparent at the wavelength and that has an index of refraction greater than 2.0, to confine an energy at the wavelength of light to the debonding layer;
• and
• an optical boundary layer being formed from a material that has a real index of refraction less than 2.0, positioned on an opposite side of the debonding layer from the handler layer that reflects the energy at the wavelength of light back to the debonding layer.

A handler wafer, comprising:

• a handler layer formed from silicon;
• a bonding layer that includes:
• a debonding layer that absorbs a wavelength of light from a debonding laser, selected from a range between 1200 nm and 2500 nm, being formed from a metallic material that is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, nickel, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and lutetium;
• an optical enhancement layer being formed from a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and polycrystalline silicon, to confine a laser energy at the wavelength of light to the debonding layer;
• an optical boundary layer on an opposite side of the debonding layer from the handler layer, to reflect the laser energy at the wavelength of light into the debonding layer and to provide adhesive attachment to a wafer;
• and
• an antireflective layer between the optical enhancement layer and the handler layer.