Lift-off and subsequent bonding of epitaxial films

A process for selectively freeing an epitaxial film from a single crystal film substrate upon which it was grown, said method comprising the steps of

• selectively etching away a thin release layer positioned between said film and said substrate and causing edges of said film to curl upwardly as said release layer is etched away to enhance the outdiffusion of reaction products of the etching step from an active etching area and
• adhering said film to a second substrate without any adhesive therebetween by means of Van der Waals forces,
• wherein said adhering step includes applying a liquid between said film and said second substrate and thereafter pressing said film and said substrate together so as to squeeze out said liquid from between said film and said second substrate.

A process for selectively freeing an epitaxial film from a single crystal substrate upon which it was grown, said method comprising the steps of

• selectively etching away a thin release layer positioned between said film and said substrate and causing edges of said film to curl upwardly as said release layer is etched away to enhance the outdiffusion of reaction products of the etching step from an active etching area,
• adhering said film to a second substrate, and
• growing at least one epitaxial semiconducting layer on said film adhered to said second substrate.

A process for selectively freeing an epitaxial film from a single crystal substrate upon which it was grown, said method comprising the steps of

• selectively etching away a thin release layer positioned between said substrate and causing edges of said film to curl upwardly as said release layer is etched away to enhance the outdiffusion of reaction products of the etching step from an active etching area, wherein said film comprises at least a partially formed electronic, optical, or electro-optical device, and
• epitaxially growing at least one semiconductor layer on said epitaxial film prior to said etching step, to at least partially form said device.

A process for selectively freely an epitaxial film comprising at least one layer of a multinary semiconductor from a single crystal substrate, said method comprising the steps of

• selectively etching away a thin release layer positioned between said film and said substrate and causing edges of said film to curl upwardly as said release layer is etched away to enhance the outdiffusion of reaction products of the etching step from an active etching area,
• adhering said film to a second substrate comprising silicon, and
• forming a silicon semiconducting device on said silicon second substrate.

A process for selectively freeing an epitaxial film comprising a device having an optical input or an optical output from a single crystal substrate upon which it was grown, said method comprising the steps of

• selectively etching away a thin release layer positioned between said film and said substrate and causing edges of said film to curl upwardly as said release layer is etched away to enhance the outdiffusion of reaction products of the etching step from an active etching area and
• adhering said film to a second substrate comprising an optical fiber, wherein said optical input or said optical output when mounted on said fiber is optically coupled thereto.

A process for mounting a thin film, comprising the steps of:

• applying a liquid between a thin film and a solid bulk substrate;
• and
• thereafter pressing said film and said substrate together so as to squeeze out said liquid from between said film and said substrate, thereby adhering said film to said substrate.