Controlled cleaving process
AssigneeSilicon Genesis Corporation
InventorsFrancois Henley, Nathan Cheung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. An energy source is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.
Claims90
A process for forming a film of material from a substrate, said process comprising steps of:
- introducing particles through a surface of a substrate to a selected depth underneath said surface, said particles being at a concentration at said selected depth to define a substrate material to be removed above said selected depth;
- and
- providing energy to a selected region of said substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action at said selected depth in said substrate, whereupon said cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a portion of said material to be removed from said substrate.
A method for forming a film of material from a single-crystal silicon wafer, the method comprising steps of:
- implanting hydrogen ions through a surface of the single-crystal silicon wafer to a selected depth underneath the surface, the hydrogen ions being at a concentration at the selected depth to define a layer to be removed above the selected depth;
- bonding the surface to a workpiece;
- and
- providing energy to a selected region of the substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the selected depth in the substrate to free the layer from the substrate.
A device comprising a thin film of silicon, the thin film of silicon having a cleaved surface with a cleaved surface roughness less than about 60 nm.
A method for forming a film of material from a single-crystal silicon wafer, the method comprising steps of:
- implanting hydrogen ions through a surface of the single-crystal silicon wafer to a selected depth underneath the surface, the hydrogen ions being at a concentration at the selected depth to define a layer to be removed above the selected depth;
- and
- directing a jet of high-pressure fluid at a selected region of the substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the selected depth in the substrate to free the layer from the substrate.
The method of claim 52 wherein the multi-layered substrate comprises the film of silicon material overlying the dielectric handle substrate.
The method of claim 52 wherein the dielectric handle substrate comprises glass.
The method of claim 52 wherein the dielectric handle substrate comprises quartz.
The method of claim 52 wherein the multilayered substrate is the film of silicon material on the dielectric handle substrate comprising glass.
The method of claim 52 further comprising plasma activating the surface region of the film of silicon material before the coupling.
The method of claim 52 wherein the surface region of the film of silicon material is dry before coupling.
The method of claim 52 wherein a surface region of the dielectric handle substrate is dry before coupling.
The method of claim 52 wherein the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate are subjected to a thermal source to elevate a temperature of the dielectric handle substrate and the donor substrate.
The method of claim 52 further comprising increasing a global energy of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate using a thermal source.
A method for forming multilayered substrates for multi-layered substrates, the method comprising:
- providing a donor substrate comprising an overlying a film of silicon material to be detached, the donor substrate having a cleave region formed within a vicinity of between the film of silicon material and a lower portion of the donor substrate;
- coupling a surface region of the film of silicon material from the donor substrate to a dielectric handle substrate;
- applying a voltage between the donor substrate including the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate to induce bonding between the surface region of the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate;
- increasing a temperature of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate to increase a global energy of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate;
- and
- initiating a cleaving action to remove the film of silicon material using a propagating cleave front to form a multi-layered substrate.
A method for forming multilayered substrates for multi-layered substrates, the method comprising:
- providing a donor substrate comprising an overlying a film of silicon material to be detached, the donor substrate having a cleave region formed within a vicinity of between the film of silicon material and a lower portion of the donor substrate;
- coupling a surface region of the film of silicon material from the donor substrate to a dielectric handle substrate;
- applying a voltage between the donor substrate including the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate to induce bonding between the surface region of the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate;
- increasing a temperature of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate to increase a global energy of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate;
- and
- removing the film of silicon material to form a multi-layered substrate.
A method for forming solar cells, the method comprising:
- providing a donor substrate comprising an overlying a film of silicon material to be detached, the donor substrate having a cleave region formed within a vicinity of between the film of silicon material and a lower portion of the donor substrate;
- coupling a surface region of the film of silicon material from the donor substrate to a dielectric handle substrate;
- applying a voltage between the donor substrate including the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate to induce bonding between the surface region of the film of silicon material and the dielectric handle substrate;
- increasing a temperature of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate to increase a global energy of the donor substrate and the dielectric handle substrate;
- and
- removing the film of silicon material for a solar cell.
A method for forming solar cells, the method comprising:
- providing a donor substrate comprising an overlying a film of semiconductor material to be detached, the donor substrate having a cleave region formed within a vicinity of between the film of semiconductor material and a lower portion of the donor substrate;
- coupling a surface region of the film of semiconductor material from the donor substrate to a dielectric handle substrate;
- and
- removing the film of silicon material for a solar cell.
A method for forming opto-electronic devices, the method comprising:
- providing a donor substrate comprising an overlying a film of GaN material to be detached, the donor substrate having a cleave region formed within a vicinity of between the film of GaN material and a lower portion of the donor substrate;
- coupling a surface region of the film of GaN material from the donor substrate to a handle substrate;
- and
- removing the film of GaN material for an opto-electronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.