Methods of forming SOI insulator layers, methods of forming transistor devices, and semiconductor devices and assemblies

A method of patterning a semiconductive material, comprising:

• providing a dopant within the semiconductive material;
• subjecting the semiconductive material to an electric field to disperse the dopant within the semiconductive material, the dopant being dispersed to form a region which is depleted with dopant relative to another region, the region which is depleted with dopant having a different thickness in one portion of the semiconductive material than in another portion and accordingly defining a shape comprising stepped segments;
• and
• etching the semiconductive material to pattern the semiconductive material into the shape of the region which is depleted with dopant.

A method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator layer comprising:

• providing a substrate having an insulative material and a semiconductive material thereover, the insulative material being between the substrate and the semiconductive material;
• providing a dopant within the semiconductive material;
• subjecting the semiconductive material to an electric field to disperse the dopant within the semiconductive material, the dopant being dispersed to form a region which is depleted with dopant relative to another region, the region which is depleted with dopant having a different thickness in one portion of the semiconductive material than in another portion and accordingly defining a shape comprising stepped segments;
• and
• etching the semiconductive material to pattern the material into the shape of the region which is depleted with dopant.

A method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator layer, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing an insulator layer over the substrate;
• providing a semiconductive layer over the insulator layer, the semiconductive layer having a first portion and a second portion;
• providing a dopant within the semiconductive layer
• dispersing the dopant within the semiconductive layer to form a dopant depleted region within the semiconductive layer and another region within the semiconductive layer, the dopant depleted region varying in thickness within the semiconductive layer and accordingly defining a shape;
• and
• etching the semiconductive layer to pattern the semiconductive material layer into the shape of the dopant depleted region.

A method of patterning a semiconductive material, comprising:

• providing an insulative mass comprising a first insulative material and a second insulative material;
• providing a semiconductive material over the insulative mass;
• forming a dopant depletion region within the semiconductive material, the dopant depletion region having a different thickness over the first insulative material than over the second insulative material and accordingly defining a shape;
• and
• etching the semiconductive material to pattern the semiconductive material into the shape of the dopant depletion region.

A method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator layer comprising:

• providing a semiconductive substrate having substantially uniform doping with a first impurity;
• doping at least one portion of the semiconductive substrate with a second impurity while leaving at least one other portion of the semiconductive substrate not doped with the second impurity;
• forming an insulative material over the semiconductive substrate;
• forming a semiconductive layer over the insulative material;
• forming a dopant depletion region within the semiconductive layer, the dopant depletion having a different thickness over the first portion of the substrate than over the second portion of the substrate and accordingly defining a shape;
• and
• etching the semiconductive layer to pattern the semiconductive layer into the shape of the dopant depletion region.