Lift-off method

A lift-off method of transferring an optical device layer to a transfer substrate from an optical device wafer where the optical device layer has been disposed on a face side of an epitaxy substrate with a buffer layer interposed therebetween, the method comprising:

• a transfer substrate joining step of joining the transfer substrate to a face side of the optical device layer of the optical device wafer with a joining member interposed therebetween, thereby making up a composite substrate;
• a buffer layer breaking step of applying a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength transmittable through the epitaxy substrate and absorbable by the buffer layer, from a reverse side of the epitaxy substrate of the optical device wafer of the composite substrate, thereby breaking the buffer layer;
• and
• after the buffer layer breaking step, an optical device layer transferring step of peeling off the epitaxy substrate from the optical device layer and transferring the optical device layer to the transfer substrate,
• wherein the optical device layer transferring step includes a step of transferring the optical device layer to the transfer substrate by applying a bending moment to an area of the composite substrate that includes an outer peripheral portion thereof while holding an area of the composite substrate that includes a central portion thereof and by repeating:
• an entire surface suction step of bringing the transfer substrate that is warped in a projecting manner into facing relation to a holding table and attracting an entire surface of the composite substrate under suction to the holding table, thereby applying the bending moment in a direction opposite a direction in which the composite substrate is warped, to an area of the transfer substrate that includes an outer peripheral portion of the transfer substrate, and,
• after the entire surface suction step, an outer peripheral portion releasing step of releasing the area of the composite substrate that includes the outer peripheral portion thereof from being held under suction while continuously holding the area of the composite substrate that includes the central portion thereof under suction.

A lift-off method of transferring an optical device layer to a transfer substrate from an optical device wafer where the optical device layer has been disposed on a face side of an epitaxy substrate with a buffer layer interposed therebetween, the method comprising:

• a transfer substrate joining step of joining the transfer substrate to a face side of the optical device layer of the optical device wafer with a joining member interposed therebetween, thereby making up a composite substrate;
• a buffer layer breaking step of applying a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength transmittable through the epitaxy substrate and absorbable by the buffer layer, from a reverse side of the epitaxy substrate of the optical device wafer of the composite substrate, thereby breaking the buffer layer;
• and
• after the buffer layer breaking step, an optical device layer transferring step of peeling off the epitaxy substrate from the optical device layer and transferring the optical device layer to the transfer substrate,
• wherein the optical device layer transferring step includes a step of transferring the optical device layer to the transfer substrate by applying a bending moment to an area of the composite substrate that includes an outer peripheral portion thereof while holding an area of the composite substrate that includes a central portion thereof and by repeating:
• a depressing step of, while the composite substrate is being placed on a holding table with the transfer substrate that is warped in a projecting manner facing the holding table, depressing the area of the composite substrate including the outer peripheral portion thereof from the epitaxy substrate side of the composite substrate, thereby applying the bending moment in a direction opposite a direction in which the composite substrate is warped, to the area of the transfer substrate including the outer peripheral portion thereof, and
• a depression canceling step of canceling the depression of the area of the composite substrate including the outer peripheral portion thereof that has been depressed in the depressing step.