# US 2014/0197419 A1 · Techniques for forming optoelectronic devices

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- Number: US 2014/0197419 A1
- Document ID: US20140197419A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/156,282
- Filed: 2014-01-15
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16
- Assignees: QMAT, Inc.
- Applicants: QMAT, Inc.
- Inventors: Francois J. HENLEY; Sien KANG; Albert LAMM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197419A1

## CPC

- C30B 33/06: Joining of crystals
- C30B 29/406: {Gallium nitride}
- C30B 33/04: using electric or magnetic fields or particle radiation
- C30B 33/08: Etching
- H10P 14/3216: {Nitrides}
- H10P 54/52: {by cleaving}
- H10P 90/1916: {with separation or delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut}
- H10W 10/181: {Semiconductor-on-insulator [SOI] isolation regions, e.g. buried oxide regions of SOI wafers}
- H10H 20/0137: {the light-emitting regions comprising nitride materials}
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate (e.g. donor substrate) having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise Si, SiC, or other materials. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing a GaN workpiece;
introducing a plurality of particles into a surface of the GaN workpiece to form a cleave region in the GaN workpiece;
bonding the surface of the GaN workpiece to a substrate;
applying energy to cleave a detached thickness of GaN, from a remainder of the GaN workpiece; and
processing the substrate bearing the detached thickness of GaN.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion approximately equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the GaN.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the processing comprises performing polishing and/or other surface treatment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method as in claim 3 wherein the other surface treatment includes annealing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A method as in claim 3 wherein the other surface treatment includes a plasma etch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A method as in claim 3 wherein the other surface treatment includes a chemical etch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a metal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the metal comprises Molybdenum.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the metal comprises Tungsten.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein:
the substrate further comprises a reflecting layer that is positioned between the detached thickness of GaN and the metal following the application of energy; and
processing the substrate to create a light emitting diode device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A method as in claim 10 wherein the reflecting layer is conductive and comprises silver, gold, aluminum, or a dielectric layer stack made to be electrically conductive.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the GaN is doped p-type or n-type.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the GaN is unintentionally doped.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the processing comprises performing polishing and/or other surface treatment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the other surface treatment comprises annealing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein:
the substrate further comprises an electrically insulating layer that is positioned between the detached thickness of GaN and the metal following the application of energy; and
processing the substrate to create an electronic device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the substrate further comprises a bond layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

A method as in claim 17 wherein:
the bond layer comprises a thermo-compression bond layer; and
the bonding comprises a thermo-compression bonding process.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A method as in claim 18 wherein the thermo-compression bond layer comprises copper, aluminum, or gold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the bonding comprises a plasma activated bonding (PAB) process.

### Claim 21 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the metal is configured to serve as a thermal contact and an electrical contact for a device comprising the detached thickness of GaN.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein introducing the plurality of particles comprises introducing hydrogen.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

A method as in claim 22 wherein the introducing hydrogen comprises implanting hydrogen at a dose of between about 5×1016-5×1017 atoms/cm2, at an energy of between about 10-100 keV.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

A method as in claim 23 wherein the detached thickness of GaN has a thickness of about 0.25 μm.

### Claim 25

A structure comprising:
a substrate comprising a metal having a coefficient of thermal expansion approximately equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of a detached thickness of GaN bonded to the substrate.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the metal has a coefficient of thermal expansion approximately equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the detached thickness of GaN.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the metal comprises molybdenum.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the detached thickness of GaN has a thickness of about 0.25 μm.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the substrate further comprises a reflecting layer positioned between the detached thickness of GaN and the metal.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the substrate further comprises an electrically insulating layer positioned between the detached thickness of GaN and the metal.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the substrate further comprises a bond layer.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

A structure as in claim 25 wherein the substrate further comprises a barrier layer.

### Claim 33

A method comprising:
providing a GaN workpiece;
introducing a plurality of particles into a surface of the GaN workpiece to form a cleave region in the GaN workpiece;
bonding the surface of the GaN workpiece to an insulating substrate;
applying energy to cleave a detached thickness of GaN, from a remainder of the GaN workpiece;
processing the substrate bearing the detached thickness of GaN.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the substrate comprises sapphire.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the substrate comprises aluminum nitride.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the bonding comprises applying a silicon dioxide film and/or an aluminum nitride film.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method as in claim 36 wherein the silicon dioxide and/or aluminum nitride film is applied prior to the particle introduction step.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The method as in claim 37 wherein the applied films undergo a thermal anneal to densify the film prior to the particle introduction step.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The method as in claim 37 wherein the applied films undergo an etch step prior to bonding to enhance bond strength.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein:
the substrate further comprises a reflecting layer that is positioned between the detached thickness of GaN and the substrate following the application of energy; and
processing the substrate to create a light emitting diode device.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

A method as in claim 40 wherein the substrate includes a light scattering interface to enhance light extraction in light emitting diode applications.

### Claim 42 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the GaN is doped p-type or n-type.

### Claim 43 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the GaN is unintentionally doped.

### Claim 44 (depends on 33)

A method as in claim 33 wherein the processing comprises performing polishing and/or other surface treatment.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

A method as in claim 44 wherein the other surface treatment includes annealing.

### Claim 46 (depends on 44)

A method as in claim 44 wherein the other surface treatment includes a plasma etch.

### Claim 47 (depends on 44)

A method as in claim 44 wherein the other surface treatment includes a chemical etch.

### Claim 48

An apparatus comprising:
a target holder configured to support a target to be implanted; and
a top plate including a repeating hole pattern and configured to be positioned by side spacers between the target holder and a plasma to form an enclosure, wherein an aspect ratio of the repeating hole pattern reduces a plasma density within the enclosure.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

An apparatus as in claim 48 further comprises a field plate below the top plate and biased negative relative to the top plate and the target holder.

### Claim 50 (depends on 48)

An apparatus as in claim 48 wherein the target holder is configured to be scanned to average implant profiles.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

An apparatus as in claim 50 wherein the repeating hole pattern in conjunction with a pattern of the scanning is configured to develop a patterned implant profile.

### Claim 52 (depends on 48)

An apparatus as in claim 48 wherein at least one of the top plate and the target holder further comprises blind holes.